Walking alone with a sword, slaying ghosts and gods

Chapter 513 Floating Wine Cups Reveal the Mind's Will, Quiet Room's Mysterious Light Nourishes the Dao (Seeking Rewards and Subscriptions!)

The largest Yuntai Immortal Palace on the Baoshun Merchant Ship is now brightly lit and filled with celestial music.

An extremely lavish thank-you banquet is underway:

Fine wine and delicacies filled carved jade cups, and rare fruits and delicacies were piled up like small mountains. The rich spiritual energy transformed into a visible mist, permeating the vast space with its carved beams and painted rafters.

The most eye-catching sight is the flying apsaras dancing gracefully in light gauze on the cloud platform.

They were dressed in pure white, gossamer-like gossamer dresses, their graceful figures twirling and swirling in mid-air as if their feet were not touching the ground. Their outstretched arms scattered glimmers of light, making them look like true fairies descending to earth.

The musicians plucked the ancient harp and jade chime, producing ethereal and melodious sounds that soothed the mind and created an atmosphere that was both intoxicating and dreamlike.

However, the Baoshun Chamber of Commerce is not a monolithic entity; it is a collective interest group formed by dozens of large, medium, and small trading forces.

They can stand together when facing external enemies, but there are also struggles among themselves within the chamber of commerce.

Thus, amidst the clinking of glasses, countless young and beautiful female cultivators, each possessing spiritual roots and a unique temperament, some shy and timid, others poised and graceful, and still others with carefully orchestrated coincidences and allure, poured towards Lu Cheng and Jin Shayu like mercury spilling onto the ground.

They were either the darlings of certain merchant families or naturally alluring female cultivators hired at great expense.

All for the sake of leaving a mark on the side of this gentle and peaceful Lu Cheng Divine Lord, or that fiery and cynical Jin Sha Yu Daoist.

"My Lord, please drink this cup. This is the Nine Heavens Star Dew Brew, which takes ten years to obtain a single drop from the pure essence of the Nine Heavens. It has the effect of nourishing the primordial spirit." A purple-clad female cultivator with her hair piled high and her eyebrows and eyes as beautiful as a painting gracefully raised her cup, her eyes sparkling with a hint of flirtation.

She presented the jade cup to Lu Cheng with both hands, her slender fingers seemingly brushing against it unintentionally.

Another girl in a blue dress held a plate of jadeite brimming with spiritual energy, kneeling to one side, her voice soft and sweet: "This is a specialty of Jade Saliva Island in the South China Sea, rich in spiritual energy. Please, Divine Lord, appreciate it."

The beauties surrounding Jin Shayu were even more unrestrained in style. Jin Shayu himself leaned against a jade couch covered with snow fox fur, his crimson-gold robe slightly open, his handsome and flamboyant face bearing a smile that was three parts lazy and seven parts enjoying.

He was surrounded by beautiful women, some peeling exotic fruits for him, others bringing him warm wine, and some bolder ones taking the opportunity to dance, their skirts fluttering as they danced, seemingly intentionally or unintentionally displaying their slender figures before him, their laughter and compliments never ceasing.

Jinsha Yu welcomed all who came, embracing them on both sides, having a great time. His unrestrained laughter sometimes echoed in the celestial music, giving off a sense of a carefree Taoist priest indulging in worldly pleasures.

What's amusing is that even An Xiaoyue, who is usually aloof, proud, and spirited, is now surrounded by several male cultivators with distinct personalities.

There were burly, strong men like bears, wearing robes, exuding a powerful aura, and with fiery eyes, trying to display their masculine strength; and elegant, refined young men in white robes, holding jade flutes, speaking softly about the Dao of Music.

There was also a middle-aged man in a gray robe with deep features and a mysterious aura, who recommended himself as an expert in esoteric arts... Their purpose was equally clear, and this Fairy An was obviously no less attractive to men than Lu Cheng and Jin Shayu were to women.

These men, with their sincere and ardent gazes, their carefully prepared rare treasures, or their own unique charm and cultivation, attempted to open An Xiaoyue's heart.

An Xiaoyue sat upright like a sword, her brows slightly furrowed, revealing a hint of heroic spirit, and her cold face was covered with an obvious layer of frost.

No matter how attentive the men around her were, the jade cup in front of her remained untouched, and she did not touch a single bite of the exquisite delicacies.

She barely spared a glance at the rare treasures, precious objects, or even scrolls of poems and prose imbued with deep emotion that were presented to her.

He was like a piece of ancient ice sculpted over a thousand years, exuding a chilling aura that kept strangers at bay.

Men are generally lustful, and women are lustful in the same way.

It's just that throughout history, women have rarely had the opportunity to wield power, authority, or wealth. But those who have have almost always had countless male lovers.

In the cultivation world, female cultivators are like men; they can cultivate the Dao and refine techniques, wielding boundless magical power. Therefore, it is not uncommon for high-level female cultivators in the cultivation world to keep many male concubines.

Even within orthodox religions, there are many such individuals.
The cultivators surrounding An Xiaoyue were unable to make any further progress. Finally, one of them got too close in his eagerness and tried to create an opportunity through "unintentional" physical contact. But at this moment, a chill gathered in An Xiaoyue's eyes, which made the lecherous man's heart skip a beat. When their eyes met, he involuntarily took half a step back, cold sweat pouring down his back.

The situation was the same in Lucheng.

Unlike An Xiaoyue, he was not cold and aloof. He still had a faint, gentle smile on his face, and even occasionally raised his glass to respond to Zhao Yuanzhen, the leader of the Baoshun Chamber of Commerce who was hosting the banquet, and the two drank together.

But within three feet of him, there seemed to be an invisible and intangible yet incredibly solid "domain".

Those young female cultivators who tried to approach, no matter what kind of charming methods they used, whether it was a charming smile or a pitiful appearance, would feel their steps become slightly heavy and their hearts tremble when they stepped into this invisible domain. Their carefully crafted seductive charm and prepared conversation would be like warm water falling into an icy world, instantly losing its warmth and becoming unsustainable.

Lu Cheng would occasionally take a small sip of the spiritual wine and exotic fruits offered to him, then lower his gaze slightly. He spoke gently to the beauties around him, polite yet distant.
"Have a heart."

"Thank you."

"This item is excellent, but it is of no benefit to my path. Please use it yourself, young lady."

After three rounds of wine, five flavors of food.

The extravagant noise surrounding him could not penetrate his true heart seeking the Dao, and Lu Cheng ultimately had no interest in the brothels around him.

Therefore, he was the first to set down his jade cup, and his gentle yet undeniably authoritative voice clearly pierced through the celestial music and laughter:

"I appreciate your kind hospitality. However, my path is not yet complete and I still need to cultivate. I will take my leave now."

He rose from his seat, his steps deliberate and fluid, without the slightest hesitation.

The female cultivators surrounding him felt that the invisible force field suddenly contracted and expanded with his movements, like ripples receding from the tide, gently pushing their figures to the sides and making way for them.

Seeing Lu Cheng get up, An Xiaoyue felt relieved and stood up almost at the same time.

Without uttering a single word, she merely nodded slightly to the highest-ranking manager of the Baoshun Chamber of Commerce, surnamed Zhao, before turning and leaving like a cold, sharp sword.

The atmosphere in the room suddenly became a bit chilly.

Seeing this, Jin Shayu didn't insist on keeping them. He laughed and patted the plump buttocks of a beautiful woman beside him: "You two keep playing music and dancing! Senior Brother Lu and Junior Sister An are ascetic practitioners, but I am not. Come, fill this cup."

With two of the three main characters leaving, this extravagant and ostentatious banquet quickly lost much of its charm.

Lu Cheng returned to the secluded meditation room arranged for him on the Shattered Starship.

The moment the door closed, all the glitz and clamor of the outside world were completely shut out.

The quiet room was filled with pure air, and the concentration of spiritual energy far exceeded that of other areas of the ship's cabin. The walls and floor were engraved with exquisite runes for gathering spiritual energy, focusing the mind, and protecting the spirit, and their radiance was faintly visible.

This "Shattered Star" ship is indeed profound, providing excellent external conditions for the participating cultivators.

Lu Cheng sat cross-legged on a futon in the center of the quiet room, taking a deep breath as if trying to completely cleanse his lungs of the lingering scent of luxurious cosmetics. Then, he formed a hand seal, his eyes shining brightly.

In a flash of inspiration, two treasure gourds appeared before him. The crimson fire gourd hovered to the left, its entire body a deep red, though its color was not as bright and dazzling as before. The flame runes flowing on its surface appeared somewhat dim and sluggish, as if its essence had been excessively drained, making it appear somewhat weak. Upon closer inspection, the crimson light cluster resembling molten lava contained within the gourd's mouth now seemed to have been extinguished to some extent. The "True Fire Seed" at its core, capable of igniting a Returning Void True Demon, although not extinguished, had dimmed considerably, requiring a long period of nourishment to recover.

The purple gourd on the right is in slightly better condition, but its spiritual essence has been greatly diminished. It had already been partially refined by Yun Jizi, making its form more ancient and profound, and the spatial fluctuations surrounding it should have flowed like a river of stars. At this moment, however, those spatial ripples appear somewhat chaotic and stagnant, like a solidified crystal, unable to easily tear through the void anymore.

The "void creation energy" inside the purple gourd is no longer as vibrant and refined, and its consumption is enormous, which has also sluggishly slowed down the gourd's growth process.

A look of solemnity and heartache flashed across Lu Cheng's face.

These two treasures possess immense power, but during the previous fierce battle against the Void Returning Demon, their reckless and violent activation ultimately damaged their foundation.

"These two magical treasures will probably be of little use in this Immortal Pool Sword Battle," Lu Cheng murmured, with regret and a hint of understanding.

Everything comes at a price. To defeat a Void Returning Demon Cultivator with overwhelming force at the Nascent Soul stage is a negligible price. The two gourds are treasures that can be nurtured, requiring only a few hundred or even a thousand years of painstaking work. However, eliminating powerful enemies, preserving the friendship of fellow disciples' flying ships, and the resulting merits and prestige of the Taiqing Sect are tangible gains.

Following the banquet, the thank-you gift from the Bao Shun Chamber of Commerce arrived quickly.

This is also why Lu Cheng, Jin Shayu, and An Xiaoyue are willing to associate with these businessmen and cultivators. If you don't give them any face, even if you just saved their lives, the subsequent gift of gratitude will inevitably be less than what they deserve.

After all that hard work, there's no need to suffer additional losses over such trivial matters.

Before Lu Cheng were several gleaming Qiankun bags. A sweep of his divine sense revealed that the contents were of considerable value: several pieces the size of a human head, sparkling with starlight, as if containing "celestial marrow from beyond the heavens," which were treasures for repairing magical artifacts.

There were several bottles of pills with precious talismans attached. They were top-grade pills that could repair the source of true essence and nourish the primordial spirit. Even through the restriction, the pill's energy could invigorate people.
There was also a thick stack of contracts made from special spiritual materials, representing the numerous "shares" of the Baoshun Chamber of Commerce in different shipping routes and trading cities. Although these items were not treasures that directly enhanced combat power, if they could be continuously managed, the vast supply of cultivation resources they represented would be enough to make most Nascent Soul cultivators envious.

Such a generous gift would be far too extravagant if it were merely to express gratitude for saving a life.

What the Baoshun Chamber of Commerce is after is the weight of the five words "Taiqing Sect Traveler".

As long as Lu Cheng, Jin Shayu, and An Xiaoyue, these three true disciples, do not perish along the way, they will almost certainly become core members of the Taiqing Sect in the future. If we don't increase investment now, when will we?
Let alone the high-level cultivators of the Taiqing Sect, even just the Void Returning cultivators themselves, if they can be won over by the Chamber of Commerce, would already be a huge backer.

Lu Cheng did not rush to deal with the gifts. With a slight thought, he temporarily put the Qiankun bag containing the pills and the equity contract into the depths of the Nine Li Cauldron's space.

His gaze fell upon the thickest pieces of "Celestial Essence" and two other rare ores containing abundant fire element essence. Lu Cheng pondered for a moment, a faint smile appearing on his face.

"Although it cannot restore the power of the gourd immediately, it can be nurtured with this item and combined with Taoist techniques to accelerate its recovery."

Thinking of this, he flicked his finger, and several strands of pure magic power transformed into fine threads, enveloping a piece of the most solid and restrained "celestial marrow" and carefully guiding it to the bottom of the purple gourd.

Stimulated by magical power, the star marrow began to slowly emit a silvery, stardust-like light. Threads of gentle yet incredibly pure spatial primordial energy rose up, like smoke and mist, and were gently absorbed by the spatial patterns at the bottom of the purple gourd.

The somewhat chaotic spatial runes, nourished by the silvery light, flickered almost imperceptibly, as if a long-awaited rain had fallen on a drought, and their operation seemed to become a little smoother.

Another crimson crystal, resembling blood and seemingly burning with flames inside, was placed by Lu Cheng beneath the Crimson Fire Gourd.

A stream of refined fire-elemental magic was injected into the crystal. With a soft "hum," a wisp of extremely pure and blazing flame rose from the surface of the crystal, slowly merging into the dim flame patterns on the surface of the fire gourd. Like a vent igniting charcoal, it caused the waning flame to struggle and leap a few times.

After completing these initial nurturing steps, Lu Cheng closed his eyes and began to meditate and regulate his breathing.

The operating method of the "Mysterious Heaven Divine Skill" circulated throughout the body, and a profound and magnificent Daoist charm spread out, not only drawing in the abundant spiritual energy in the quiet room, but also transforming it into a warm and resilient power, which slowly poured into the two magical treasures in front of him.

He did not forcibly infuse too much magical power to repair them. Instead, he used the inherent characteristics of his divine power to communicate with the Heavenly Dao and harmonize Yin and Yang and the Five Elements to guide his own essence, energy, and spirit to resonate with the faint spirituality remaining inside the gourd.

Proceed step by step, proceeding slowly.

The quiet room was now devoid of singing and dancing noise, save for the faint hum of Xuan Gong circulating, the dazzling light and shadows reflected by starlight and Li Yan, and the gourd phantoms that silently absorbed the essence of heaven and earth to repair themselves, with two beams of spiritual light emanating from them.

They floated, breathing in and out, their spiritual light no longer dim like a candle flickering in the wind, but exuding a calm, restrained resilience and vibrant life. Just like the Dao heart that Lu Cheng pursued—through countless fleeting tribulations and hardships, only this path remains eternally unbroken.

Time slipped away silently in deep meditation. The colossal star-shattering warship traversed the vast and boundless void of stars without a sound. Outside the ship lay an ancient, silent, cold, and profound stillness, while within the core chamber of the ship, the sharp edge of the future was being nurtured.

Time flies by.

The colossal star-shattering warship, like a lightless arrow, pierced the deep, chaotic void. Outside the ship...
Occasionally, distorted spatial cracks sweep across like the scales of a giant beast, or colorful and dazzling nebula dust belts emit a mesmerizing glow; all is tranquil yet harbors unknown risks.

Lu Cheng slowly finished his practice, opened his eyes, and a mysterious trajectory of yin and yang and the five elements flashed in his eyes.

He looked down at the two treasure gourds in front of him. After continuous nurturing, about one-third of the Star Marrow and Flame Crystal had dissipated, and the spiritual light of the two magical treasures had become significantly more stable. The dark red color of the Crimson Fire Gourd had deepened slightly, no longer appearing so dazzling yet powerless; although the chaotic spatial fluctuations around the Purple Gourd had not completely subsided, they had become much more solid and orderly, like a piece of glass that had been broken but had been initially glued back together.

“The foundation remains, and the spirit is not lost. Fortunately.” Lu Cheng’s lips curled up slightly, finally revealing a genuine smile.

The restoration was completed even faster than I had expected, which shows that the combination of the "Yin Yang Dao Collection" and the "Mysterious Heaven Divine Skill," along with the nourishment of top-quality materials, had an extraordinary effect.

He carefully retrieved the two gourds deep into his dantian, continuing to nurture them with his own magical and Taoist power.

Tuk-tuk-tuk.

The rhythmic knocking echoed softly through the array of the quiet room, like a pebble thrown into a calm lake—it carried no power, but rather just the right amount of respect and reminder.

"Senior Brother Lu, are you meditating?" It was Jin Shayu's voice. Unlike his flamboyant and casual manner at the banquet, his tone was much more composed at this moment.

Lu Cheng flicked his sleeve, and the restrictions on the quiet room opened a corner silently.

"The ban has been lifted, please come in."

The next moment, Jin Shayu pushed open the door and entered. His crimson-gold robe was much more tidy now, and the playful smile on his face had mostly faded. There was a fiery glint in the depths of his eyes, indicating that he had just finished some important training or consolidating his realm.

He casually set up a soundproof barrier, his gaze sweeping across the meditation room before finally settling on Lu Cheng: "Senior Brother Lu is truly diligent, rushing into the meditation room before the banquet was even over. However, those vulgar women outside certainly can't disturb Senior Brother's steadfast Dao heart." His words weren't sarcastic; rather, they contained a hint of genuine admiration.

Jin Shayu is not afraid of anyone having higher aptitude than him, nor is he afraid of anyone working harder than him. What he fears is a cultivator who has higher aptitude than him and works much harder than him.

Every time he saw Lu Cheng, a sense of despair would rise in his heart.

However, Jin Shayu quickly dismissed these thoughts.

"Junior Brother Jin, you flatter me," Lu Cheng said calmly. "Superficial understanding is not the way of my profession. May I ask what brings you here, Junior Brother?"

Upon hearing this, Jin Shayu's expression turned serious: "Firstly, I came to check on Senior Brother's injuries. We knew about the fierce battle against the Void Returning Realm before, but others didn't. If Senior Brother hadn't intervened and secretly helped Elder He, we might not have won that battle so easily."

"The second reason for coming to the Immortal Pool is to deliver some information to my senior brother. Although sword and magic duels depend more on one's own life and cultivation, water and fire are mutually restraining, and anticipating the enemy is also very important. At least I believe that my senior brother's information has been read many times on many people's desks."

(End of this chapter)