Chapter 67: Goodbye Su Mo
Yang Hong couldn’t help but exclaim in admiration, “Senior Brother Xu diligently cultivates without pause. This progress is well deserved!”
As he spoke—
Yang Hong pointed out of the cabin window toward the floating Celestial Treasure Pavilion in the sky not far away and said to Xu Zhengyang, “Senior Brother Xu, look. We’ve arrived at Medicine King Valley! Master Tai Su’s disciple acceptance ceremony is five days from now. Why don’t we take this time to have a stroll around the Celestial Treasure Pavilion?”
Xu Zhengyang knew what Yang Hong was thinking.
So he replied with a smile, “That’ll depend on your master’s approval. After all, when outside, everything must follow the arrangements of our elders.”
Upon hearing this, Yang Hong immediately urged Xu Zhengyang, “Then hurry up and ask!”
Seeing Yang Hong looking so impatient—
Xu Zhengyang couldn’t help but laugh. He said at once, “Alright, alright. I’ll go ask Elder Chen now.”
……
A moment later.
On the deck of the Golden Rosy Cloud-Crossing Boat, Xu Zhengyang saluted Chen Qiang, who had his back turned, and said, “Greetings, Elder Chen.”
“Mm.”
Chen Qiang nodded slightly before turning around to ask, “You just had a breakthrough?”
The Golden Rosy Cloud-Crossing Boat was one of Chen Qiang’s prized magical artifacts.
Precisely because of this—
No matter what kind of fluctuation occurred on the flying vessel, it couldn’t escape Chen Qiang’s perception.
Although Chen Qiang had noticed a surge of spiritual energy within Xu Zhengyang’s cabin just now, as an elder, it would have been inappropriate for him to directly probe the situation using Divine Will.
After all, due to the effect of consuming the Bodhi Fruit, Xu Zhengyang had already grasped Divine Will in advance.
If he had probed with Divine Will and happened to be discovered by Xu Zhengyang...
Pei Zhen would surely laugh at him for half a lifetime.
Xu Zhengyang made no effort to hide it and sincerely praised, “As expected of Elder Chen—truly perceptive and discerning!”
Chen Qiang was quite pleased upon hearing this.
But he still maintained a stern demeanor, assuming the posture of a mentor, and encouraged, “Although you are diligent—You must remember to avoid arrogance and impatience. Keep up the hard work, understood?”
“I will heed Elder Chen’s teachings.”
Xu Zhengyang respectfully replied, then added, “Elder Chen, there are still five days until Master Tai Su’s disciple acceptance ceremony. I wish to take this opportunity to visit the Celestial Treasure Pavilion, hoping to find some rare items. I request Elder Chen’s permission.”
“So do I!” Yang Hong quickly added upon hearing this.
No one understood a disciple better than his master.
As soon as Chen Qiang saw Yang Hong hiding behind Xu Zhengyang, he knew exactly what the rascal was up to.
Even so—
The Celestial Treasure Pavilion was indeed worth visiting.
So Chen Qiang didn’t spoil the mood. He waved his hand and said to Xu Zhengyang, “Go ahead. Take this.”
As he spoke—
Chen Qiang tossed each of them a warm and lustrous jade token, saying, “This is a Spirit-Linking Jade Token. It can track both of your locations in real time. If you encounter danger within the Celestial Treasure Pavilion, just crush the jade token. I will come to your aid!”
“Thank you, Elder Chen!”
“Thank you, Master!”
Xu Zhengyang and Yang Hong both accepted the jade tokens and responded in unison.
Afterward—
Xu Zhengyang bid farewell to Chen Qiang and immediately activated his martial true energy to summon his Azure Sky Crane Feather. He called out to Yang Hong, “Junior Brother Yang, come on over. We’ll get there faster this way!”
“……”
Yang Hong hesitated for a moment, but in order to board the Celestial Treasure Pavilion more quickly, he decided to let Xu Zhengyang carry him through the air.
……
With several flying experiences under his belt—
Although Yang Hong’s face was still pale with fear, he had made some progress this time and didn’t scream.
At the entrance of the Celestial Treasure Pavilion—
Xu Zhengyang put away his Azure Sky Crane Feather and patted Yang Hong’s shoulder, saying, “Not bad, you’ve improved!”
While speaking—
Xu Zhengyang took out the Ten-Thousand-Mile Shadow-Bearing Mirror from his Jade Gourd and handed it over to the two armored guards clad in golden armor and armed with silver spears at the entrance.
To Xu Zhengyang, the Ten-Thousand-Mile Shadow-Bearing Mirror was merely a standard magical treasure with nothing particularly special about it.
However, the two armored cultivators immediately recognized something from the mirror.
One of them returned the Ten-Thousand-Mile Shadow-Bearing Mirror to Xu Zhengyang and respectfully said, “We have already informed Miss Su Mo. Honored guest may first enter and explore the Celestial Treasure Pavilion. After entering—You need only place the Ten-Thousand-Mile Shadow-Bearing Mirror outside your storage artifact. Miss Su will naturally come to attend to you.”
“Thank you.”
Xu Zhengyang smiled as he accepted the Ten-Thousand-Mile Shadow-Bearing Mirror and stepped boldly into the Celestial Treasure Pavilion.
Yang Hong followed closely behind.
But he had barely taken two steps—
When the two armored guards blocked his path with their spears and said, “Seating within the Celestial Treasure Pavilion is limited. The entrance fee is five Lower-Grade Spirit Stones per person.”
Yang Hong wasn’t short on spirit stones.
But being stopped at the door made him feel embarrassed, so he said, “I’m with Senior Brother Xu.”
The guard was unmoved and simply said, “Oh? Does this honored guest also possess the Ten-Thousand-Mile Shadow-Bearing Mirror? Please present it.”
Yang Hong wanted to say something more, but Xu Zhengyang had already taken out five Lower-Grade Spirit Stones and handed them to one of the armored guards.
He said, “This is the entrance fee for my junior brother.”
Only after receiving the spirit stones did the two Golden Armor and Silver Spear guards move aside, saying to Yang Hong, “Please.”
……
Inside the corridor.
Yang Hong followed behind Xu Zhengyang while covering his face and said, “If I had known, I would’ve taken out the spirit stones earlier. Being blocked by those two guards was such a loss of face this time……”
Xu Zhengyang chuckled and said, “It’s fine. There’s only the two of us at this entrance, no one else saw.”
As they spoke—
The two had already exited the corridor and entered the interior of the Celestial Treasure Pavilion.
At that moment—
Su Mo and Xiao Die had arrived at the entrance and stepped forward to greet them with a bow, saying, “This humble servant Su Mo (Xiao Die). Respectfully welcomes the young masters to our humble place.”
As she spoke—
Su Mo already stepped forward with a sweet smile and hooked her arm around Xu Zhengyang’s, saying, “It’s only been a few days since we last parted. Yet young master’s cultivation has advanced again—truly a talent blessed by the heavens!”
“Miss Su jests,” Xu Zhengyang replied with a smile.
He was not like Yang Hong—easily swayed by sweet flattery.
So Xu Zhengyang went straight to the point and asked Su Mo, “I wonder if Miss Su has brought with her the item list and auction catalog for this Celestial Treasure Pavilion?”
“Young master is so heartless, thinking only of treasures and not sparing a thought for this servant……”
Su Mo feigned a pitiful expression as she spoke, but her hands did not delay business.
She took out a Jade Slip from her sleeve and said, “This humble servant has already prepared it for young master. Please take a look.”
Xu Zhengyang pressed the Jade Slip to his forehead and examined it carefully.
The items recorded in the Jade Slip were either things he did not need or ones he could not yet afford.
A moment later—
Xu Zhengyang handed the Jade Slip, disappointed, to Yang Hong who was flirting eagerly with Xiao Die, and said, “Junior Brother Yang, see if there’s anything you need.”
“Alright.”
Yang Hong agreed and casually took the Jade Slip to read.
Su Mo keenly noticed Xu Zhengyang’s disappointment and said, “If these mundane goods do not please young master—Why not follow this servant to the Jiazi Section and enjoy the bustle?”
“What bustle?” Xu Zhengyang asked in confusion.
Su Mo’s eyes sparkled as she stared at Xu Zhengyang and said, “Three days ago, Yan Wuchen, the proud disciple of Master Tai Su, set up a challenge platform in the Jiazi Section of the pavilion. He made a bold declaration—Whether it be martial arts, divine abilities, or even the arcane arts and the Four Scholarly Arts… As long as any peer cultivator could defeat him in any one skill—This high disciple of Medicine King Valley would reward them with a Longevity Pill capable of extending life by thirty years!”