Chapter 139: Chapter 128 Ceremony
Together?
Master Yanhuo almost stumbled but quickly steadied himself. As a seasoned Golden Core cultivator, having weathered countless storms, he laughed, "Que'er, that won't do. You haven't mastered the art of tea cultivation yet."
He had already thought of a way to strike at the root of the problem. "Even if you want to learn from Brother Liu how to grow crops, we should invite him to Linghua Sect for guidance. Nephew Liu, would you be willing?"
As long as Liu Suiyun lusted after Shen Que'er's beauty and was willing to come to Linghua Sect, Yanhuo planned to shut the doors, trapping him like a dog and forcing his hand. This would ensure Shenxiao Mountain and Chonghua Peak ended up empty-handed.
Little did Liu Suiyun know about Master Yanhuo's scheming. He only thought about getting through the current situation, saying, "Willing? Of course, I'm willing!"
"Then it's settled!" Yanhuo responded, "After I teach Que'er the methods of tea cultivation, Nephew Liu must come to Linghua Mountain to guide her further. We can compete and learn from each other while we're at it."
"Good, good!" Liu Suiyun had nothing else to say, as this seemed like the best outcome for now. "I'll leave everything to Senior Yanhuo!"
"Que'er!" Master Yanhuo scolded. "Get off your Brother Liu!"
At this moment, Shen Que'er had awkwardly thrown herself onto Liu Suiyun. Although playful by nature, she felt a bit embarrassed at Master Yanhuo's reprimand and hurried back to his side. Shen Yaqin helped Liu Suiyun up and said, "When the time comes, I hope Master Yanhuo and Que'er will show mercy."
"Of course!" Yanhuo replied. "Unlike the Tianhong Sect, we Linghua and Shenxiao are practically family. Since everything is settled, I'll take my leave with Que'er now!"
Realizing that Shen Que'er was deeply poisoned and unsure how far her relationship with Liu Suiyun had progressed, Yanhuo decided to take her back to detoxify her immediately. He also needed to give her a warning—just in case things went too far, and her belly began to swell, turning all their plans into nothing.
"They're finally gone..."
Seeing Shen Que'er wave shyly at him before disappearing at the staircase, Liu Suiyun breathed a sigh of relief. He had managed to get through today, but as the wind carried Que'er's voice, he heard her say, "See you tomorrow, Brother Liu!"
"Heavens... If we really meet tomorrow, how will I handle it?" Liu Suiyun thought. "I'd better study through the night—it's my only chance to cram."
Just as he was contemplating this, he heard Chu Nanhua's calm voice from the main hall. "Suiyun."
"Disciple here!"
Liu Suiyun was about to kneel when Chu Nanhua said, "No need to kneel. Your martial mother was quite harsh—should your master intervene?"
Liu Suiyun was startled. His martial mother's hidden techniques, which she had placed in his palm, had even gone unnoticed by his master, who was a half-step Nascent Soul cultivator! Yet he didn't dare make his master lose face. "Rest assured, Master. Your disciple is well-versed in handling minor injuries. I'll be fully recovered after one night!"
"Very well," Chu Nanhua said. "Go get some rest. I still need to speak with your martial mother."
Shen Yaqin also smiled and added, "Yes, go rest early and don't stay up too late!"
Liu Suiyun could only smile wryly. His martial mother had known him for just over a month, yet she seemed to understand him as though they had been lifelong companions, knowing that he would definitely cram before the upcoming challenge.
Though he knew one night of study wouldn't significantly improve his skills, a bit more knowledge was always helpful, and it was better to be over-prepared than caught off guard.
Fortunately, with his current cultivation level, although not yet capable of going without sleep, staying awake for three to five days without resting was not a big deal. As such, Liu Suiyun spent almost the entire night studying, only lying down for a few moments before dawn.
Pressure breeds motivation, he mused. Though his spiritual plant cultivation had been progressing rapidly, he had begun to feel a bottleneck. However, after this night of intensive study, he felt a new understanding of the art of spiritual plants, and his mind was clear and sharp.
It seems that cramming really is the fastest way to improve!
He even held a jade slip in hand while eating, reading the rows of text that appeared on it. Chu Nanhua noticed and praised, "Though it's not the grand path, Suiyun's diligence is commendable. You two should learn from him."
Second Brother Chen Xingrui chuckled, "Word outside is that our junior brother is about to become the son-in-law of Linghua Sect. No wonder he's working so hard!"
Liu Suiyun's face showed a bitter smile at this, "Second Brother, stop teasing me. I'm already a married man, and my wife is quite strong-willed..."
Chen Xingrui, who had met Guo Huijun a few times, said, "It seems you might have trouble handling her heavy armor and sword!"
Liu Suiyun nodded, though he took it as just a joke and didn't dwell on it. Before long, he had already read through half a scroll of Daoist texts, though he barely touched his meal.
Seeing that both disciples and Chu Cangshan had finished breakfast, Shen Yaqin had also finished her morning tea. Chu Nanhua, who had long since stopped consuming food and drink, stood up and said, "Let's go. We mustn't lose face for Chonghua Peak today!"
All three disciples responded in unison, "Understood, Master!"
This time, without consulting Liu Suiyun, Shen Yaqin hoisted him up and threw him to Chen Xingrui, saying, "Take good care of your junior brother!"
As soon as Liu Suiyun sat down, the Qingyun Chariot shot forward like an arrow, leaving Jietian Pavilion behind as it sped south. Along the way, they passed numerous flying chariots, swords, and beasts. Yet, upon seeing the Qingyun Chariot, all these vehicles respectfully gave way, allowing Chu Nanhua to steer the chariot at full speed.
"Master is truly the eleventh most powerful cultivator in our sect," Liu Suiyun thought, admiring Chu Nanhua. "I wonder what would happen if Master and Martial Mother had a real duel... No, focus on your studies."
Just as he pondered the possibility of his deception being exposed, Liu Suiyun felt a headache forming. He picked up the jade slip again, but before long, he heard someone laugh, "Whose child is this? So diligent! Very good, very good."
Liu Suiyun looked up to find his master had pulled the chariot aside, allowing a simple bronze flying carriage to pass by. Chu Nanhua respectfully greeted the passenger, "Master Wanshan, this is my youngest disciple, Liu Suiyun."
This is the legendary Master Wanshan?
Liu Suiyun gazed intently at the modest bronze carriage. It was barely over two zhang long and six or seven chi wide, drawn by two winged, multicolored horses. In comparison to his master's grand Qingyun Chariot, it was nothing. Yet both Chu Nanhua and Shen Yaqin showed profound respect, making way for it. This alone revealed Master Wanshan's lofty status.
Master Wanshan was one of the most senior Nascent Soul cultivators in the sect, having formed his Nascent Soul nearly three centuries ago. He was highly regarded by the disciples for his wisdom and strength. Upon hearing Liu Suiyun's name, Wanshan smiled and praised, "Good, very good! This disciple of yours is impressive."
Liu Suiyun wanted to know what exactly was so impressive about him, but the next moment, he could only lower his head and continue studying.
How could such a virtuous and highly respected Nascent Soul cultivator speak so flippantly? "Your disciple still needs to put in effort. Bring as many female cultivators from Linghua Sect as you can, especially those in the Nascent Soul and Golden Core stages. With enough diligence, they'll follow you anywhere. And if you need help, I've got high-level techniques like 'Flying Serpent and Coiling Dragon Manual,' as well as some other good stuff. Nine percent discount for you!"
"As long as the potential is high enough, no need to limit yourself to just women!" Master Wanshan continued, "Attracting a Nascent Soul cultivator is better than chasing hundreds of girls! Expand your horizons, not just to female cultivators, even male cultivators are fair game!"
Liu Suiyun was dumbfounded by Wanshan's candidness. Thankfully, at that moment, Shen Yaqin finally spoke up, "Master Wanshan, we'll have to chat another time, as we've arrived."
With that, Wanshan sped off in his bronze carriage, and Chu Nanhua landed the Qingyun Chariot on a high platform. He announced to those around him, "This marks a new milestone for Chonghua Peak—we are now ranked eleventh!"
"Not for long," Chu Cangshan added, "Soon, we'll be in the top eight."
The Shenzhou Sect cultivators had their eyes on the competition