Chapter 160: Unrequited Devotion
Chapter 160: Unrequited Devotion
Li Si carefully hung the Demonic Dragon pendant over his chest. His heart felt incredibly warm. He thought to himself, this must be what people meant when they said finding one true friend in life was enough.
For this lifetime, as long as the pendant existed, he, Li Si, would exist. If the pendant were destroyed, he would offer incense to it.
He bowed solemnly toward the distant mountains and took out his flying treasure. He sped up, heading toward the Lingjing Sect. Now was not the time for caution. He had to reach the Lingjing Sect within the twelve hours while the Calamity Qi was suppressed.
Li Si’s flying treasure was not crafted by himself but belonged to Xu Changsheng. It was a flying boat that had originally been damaged, but Li Si repaired it after obtaining the Creation Nascent Soul. At full power, it could fly fifty miles in a second, which was quite fast.
Perhaps influenced by Luck +3, Li Si arrived safely at the outskirts of the Lingjing Sect’s current hidden base in just five minutes. Nothing bad happened, but his luck decreased to +2.
“As expected, everything comes at a cost. That portion of Azure Fortune was the price for a safe journey.”
Li Si pondered this to himself while storing the flying boat treasure. He stepped slowly toward the Lingjing Sect’s base. Their location was also very well hidden, tucked among layers of mountains. Concealment Formation Arrays surrounded the area, hiding a small village inside.
Overall, it was much better than the former Floating Cloud Sect or the old Jiuxuan Spirit Sword Sect.
Because the Lingjing Sect had two Golden Cores, as long as they did not act foolishly, they would certainly manage quite well.
When Li Si appeared ten miles from the Lingjing Sect’s base, he alerted them. Instantly, four large Formation Arrays activated, trapping Li Si within them. Without a word of warning, a killing array was activated. Three massive beams of golden light flashed, locking onto Li Si without mercy.
Li Si stood still where he was and simply tossed out a Substitute Wooden Figurine, which attracted the three golden beams.
Boom!
The Substitute Wooden Figurine turned to gray ashes.
“I am Li Si, a disciple of the Floating Cloud Sect. I have come under orders from Eternal Life Real Person. Fellow practitioners of Lingjing Sect, please grant me an audience.”
Li Si called out loudly. Though he could force his way in with his strength, he was not here to rob them; he hoped to convince the Lingjing Sect to relocate.
But the two Golden Core disciples of the Lingjing Sect did not reply. Instead, they controlled the killing array again, sending six more golden beams shooting from different directions. Once more, Li Si used a Substitute Wooden Figurine to divert them.
Luck +0.
Indeed, it was not some mysterious trick but simply consuming luck—an unavoidable consumption. Whether he fought back or not, as long as the other side attacked, his luck would decrease.
After this happened twice in a row, Li Si successfully gave those two Lingjing Sect Golden Core disciples the impression that the newcomer was very strong and could not be defeated by force, but also that he defended without attacking, so perhaps they could negotiate.
Taking the opportunity, Li Si had to decompose another ten portions of Golden Firewood, obtaining ten portions of Azure Fortune and raising his luck to +10.
There was no helping it. After all, he was bearing the title of Calamity-Bearing Human King and still running around everywhere.
“Please report to Senior Lingjingzi and let him decide. I will wait here and will not take a step forward until there is an outcome.”
Li Si again expressed his sincerity. The next moment, he stared in shock—his luck was now +9.
Fortunately, his words worked. The two Lingjing Sect disciples exchanged a glance, after which one quickly went back. After a little while, he returned with a stunned expression.
“Senior Brother Cao, our master commands us to invite this fellow practitioner from the Floating Cloud Sect for a discussion.”
“Fellow practitioner, we apologize for the earlier offense.”
The two Golden Core disciples quickly opened the Formation Arrays, and Li Si, resolved to say nothing further, followed them into the Lingjing Sect’s base.
As soon as he entered the Formation Arrays, however, he felt as if he had stepped into another world. It was very temperate, and he could even sense a trace of thin Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy.
A clear mountain stream flowed around the village. In about twenty mu of fields grew tamed Anomalous Weeds and Alien Trees, as well as some improved spiritual plants.
There were fifteen houses in the village. Besides the two Golden Core disciples, there were twelve Foundation Building disciples. Additionally, there were nine children, four old men, and three Old Madams.
The village was peaceful and the houses were tidy, truly like a paradise. Worthy of the Lingjing Sect, their Fortune Heaven Spirit Realm Formation Array was indeed unique.
Moreover, Li Si could sense that the Land Deed Seal here was actually in an activated state.
This made his heart sink.
With the Lingjing Sect flourishing so well here, would they really be willing to migrate east with him?
“Little friend Li Si, long time no see!”
A hearty laugh rang out. From an inconspicuous Stone House in the center of the village, a young man in black smiled as he stepped out—this was none other than Lingjingzi.
Li Si sighed inwardly, feeling that today’s matter was likely to fail, because Lingjingzi had actually broken free of the Blood Coffin Curse.
“Li Si pays respects to Senior. Congratulations on regaining your freedom.”
Li Si cupped his hands in salute, but Lingjingzi chuckled. “We must thank the Calamity-Bearing Human King, Eternal Life Real Person, for that. If he had not stepped forward voluntarily and, by his own power, reversed the descent of heaven, who knows how much longer we would have remained trapped in that cage? But little friend Li Si, what brings you here from thousands of miles away?”
Li Si glanced at his luck. Maybe because of the Land Deed Seal here, his luck did not drop further.
“Reporting to Senior, this junior has come under orders from Calamity-Bearing Human King Eternal Life Real Person to invite you and Lingjing Sect to migrate eastward. Eternal Life Real Person eagerly awaits thirty thousand miles away and has promised Lingjing Sect a city of a hundred thousand people, along with building a mountain gate and refining formation bases.”
Li Si briefly explained the matter. Whether it succeeded or not was beyond his control. With Lingjingzi here, there was no question of force—this was a True Immortal who could channel his power back to the Mortal Realm at any time, enough to annihilate Li Si with a mere finger.
“Migrate east? Little friend Li Si, surely you are not joking with me!”
Hearing Li Si’s words, Lingjingzi froze for a second, as if he had heard something utterly ridiculous. Then he straightened his face, thought it over again, and changed to a bitter smile. “Eternal Life Real Person truly is a model for our generation. For the sake of this world, he toils tirelessly and braves life and death. But, little friend Li Si, your Master Fairy Qingxie and I have always been on good terms. Still, forgive my bluntness, but Fairy Qingxie’s actions six months ago were rash.”
“Eternal Life Real Person might have had good intentions. If he wants to sacrifice himself for this world, then let him sacrifice. We will remember his kindness in our hearts, but why must he gamble with his Dao Foundation Immortal Body? Shendanzi and Jiuxuanzi were also foolish—what were they thinking? Thousands of years of arduous cultivation vanishing in an instant—foolish, muddle-headed!”
“And now, this Eternal Life Real Person even invites me to go. If my Lingjing Sect migrates there, will he ask me to offer up my Dao Foundation Immortal Body as well? Wishful thinking!”
“Little friend Li Si, I’ve heard you are very close to Eternal Life Real Person, but I must advise you to pull back from the brink, to recognize the true path sooner. Eternal Life Real Person can last at most six more months. Then, when the Calamity Qi comes, his soul will scatter and his body turn to dust. It’s just a pity for my three good friends, paying such a huge price only to be trapped, tied down, with no chance of escape. If this world truly could break free from its plight, then fine. But if it cannot, then there won’t even be a final escape route.”
“How tragic! How lamentable!”
Lingjingzi’s speech left Li Si with nothing to say.
People really are different.
Very well, this trip failed, but—
Li Si cupped his hands immediately. “Senior, this junior dare not comment on your words. But before I departed, my Floating Cloud Sect’s leader, Senior Brother Xu Shen, Heaven-Mending Sect’s leader Senior Brother Ji Yuan, and Jiuxuan Spirit Sword Sect’s leader Senior Sister Mi Zhou’er entrusted me with some supplies to trade with Lingjing Sect. I ask for your permission, Senior.”
“That is naturally fine. In fact, little friend Li Si, that you could travel tens of thousands of miles is truly remarkable. Cao Yu, you accompany your Senior Brother Li Si in the trade; do not hold back.”
Lingjingzi chuckled and went for a walk by the stream.
Seeing this, Li Si’s expression did not change. He merely took out one hundred Dispelling Talismans, one hundred Mind Stabilization Talismans, one hundred Mind-Reading Talismans, and one hundred Golden Light Talismans.
These were the important signature products the Floating Cloud Sect brought out for trade. Although Li Si drew them himself, they were more exquisite than those Zhang San could produce.
He still hoped Lingjingzi might understand the potential in the east and, seeing this, agree to migrate. Wouldn’t it be better if they united?
“These are—Spirit Cultivator’s Dispelling Talismans?”
Cao Yu, who knew his goods, couldn’t help exclaiming in surprise. In the distance, Lingjingzi pretended not to care, but a flicker of astonishment passed through his eyes. As a True Immortal, he immediately understood that within the Floating Cloud Sect there must be a Lamp Lighting Spirit Cultivator comparable to the Nascent Soul Realm. The value of such a Spirit Cultivator in these circumstances was immeasurable.
But to think this would make his Lingjing Sect migrate east—that was wishful thinking.
The core cultivation method of his Lingjing Sect, the “Concealing Spirit True Scripture”, although not a top-tier Ascension level great tome, excelled in nurturing and accumulating spiritual energy. Moreover, over the past thousand years, Lingjing Sect had not turned into a fool sect in pursuit of being number one.
Take the Floating Cloud Sect and the Jiuxuan Spirit Sword Sect for example—they desperately tried to be number one and exhausted all their resources in one go. His Lingjing Sect, on the other hand, had always stayed on the fringes of battles, seldom going all out. Though they suffered a few heavy losses, at least one-tenth of their foundation remained.
So, trying to fool him into migrating east was truly foolish.
Still, the four basic talismans of a Spirit Cultivator were genuinely good items—he couldn’t pretend not to recognize their worth. In trade, his Lingjing Sect disdained fraud and petty haggling.
Quickly sending a sound transmission, Cao Yu smiled slightly.
“Senior Brother Li Si, these Spirit Cultivator talismans are naturally excellent, but the quantity is too small.”
Li Si also showed a troubled expression. “To be honest, I relied on these Spirit Cultivator talismans to cross thirty thousand miles. Before I left, Senior Brother Xu Shen only gave me one thousand talismans. I used some on the journey here, and I still need to consider my safety on the return trip. Therefore, I can only trade these four hundred.”
“Is that so? That is understandable. However, if Senior Brother is only concerned about a safe journey back, our Lingjing Sect actually offers an alternative—or rather, three methods—that can ensure your safe return. Please take a look.”
As Cao Yu spoke, he laid out three pieces of spirit jade in a row.
“This is our Lingjing Sect’s specialty, the Stealth Jade. Its stealth effect is unmatched in the world, even surpassing Yunhua Sect’s Divine Concealment Formation Array. For a thirty-thousand-mile journey, just three pieces of Stealth Jade can ensure your safe return.”
“This is our Lingjing Sect’s Spirit-Gathering Jade. I’ve heard that Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy is reviving in the east now. Using this item to gather spiritual energy yields an effect a hundred times better than ordinary methods. The best part is that it can store Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy for a thousand years without change.”
“And this last piece is our Lingjing Sect’s treasure for protecting the sect, the Protective Jade. Holding this jade for protection is like having an extra Fetal Breathing Dao Body, capable of withstanding one fatal attack from an enemy.”