Chapter 71: Toward the Rising Sun (Part 1)

Episode 3, Chapter 23: Towards the Rising Sun (Part 1)

Swiftly, Meng Chuan, Meng Dajiang, Liu Yebai, and Yan Jin all jumped down.

"Arrange their accommodation," the long-browed elder calmly instructed from the back of the flying beast.

"Understood," the staff of Wuzhou Guild Hall respectfully replied.

"Liu Yebai," the long-browed elder then turned to Liu Yebai and said calmly, "Once your daughter is on the mountain, she cannot descend without a special reason until she becomes a Godfiend. You may exchange letters, and in an emergency, you may visit her on the mountain."

"Understood," Liu Yebai said, smiling at his daughter Liu Qiyue on the flying beast's back. He exhorted, "Qiyue, cultivate diligently at Yuanchu Mountain. Write to me if you need anything. I'll be staying at Wuzhou Guild Hall for the time being."

"Mm-hmm, I'll write to you," Liu Qiyue replied, clearly reluctant to part with her father. She then looked at Meng Chuan. "A-Chuan, I'll write to you too."

Meng Chuan smiled and nodded.

"This girl," Liu Yebai said, smiling and shaking his head.

"We're leaving."

The long-browed elder gently patted the flying beast, and the massive black creature soared into the sky once more, carrying him and Liu Qiyue towards the legendary 'Yuanchu Mountain.'

"Yuanchu Mountain," Meng Chuan and the others murmured, gazing into the distance. From within Yuanchu City, they could see the massive mountain range towering into the clouds, the sacred place where the Godfiends of Yuanchu Mountain cultivated.

"Sirs," a steward from Wuzhou Guild Hall said with a smile, "the hall is quite empty now. Do you prefer individual rooms or shared accommodation?"

Meng Dajiang replied, "My son Meng Chuan and I will share a place. Young Master Yan Jin and Brother Liu will have separate rooms."

"Three places? Very well, the guild hall is quite large, so please choose as you like," the old steward said, smiling. "By the end of the year, when Wuzhou sends all the geniuses for the entrance examination, it will be much more crowded."

Not just anyone could stay at Wuzhou Guild Hall. Only geniuses participating in Yuanchu Mountain's entrance examination, high-ranking officials sent from Wuzhou on official business, and similar individuals were eligible to reside there. Unrelated people were not permitted entry.

Meng Chuan and the others simply chose three adjacent small courtyards within the guild hall.

Inside one of the courtyards.

"Starting today, this is where we'll be staying," Meng Dajiang said, putting away some of the clothes and items he had brought. He smiled as he surveyed the room. "Everything's quite good here, and it's clean."

"Dad, I'll take the room next door," Meng Chuan said.

"Go get some sleep; it's still a while until dawn," Meng Dajiang said with a smile. Although he maintained his plump appearance, his complexion was somewhat pale. His blood energy had been greatly depleted, and he was currently only maintaining his physique through a secret technique, which required him to eat and rest more.

Meng Chuan nodded and went to his own room next door.

The room was simply furnished, with a bed, a desk by the window, and a bookshelf nearby holding a few books.

Lying on the bed, Meng Chuan looked at the moon through the window, his mind a jumble of thoughts. He had experienced so much that day, and the impact had been immense.

When dawn broke.

"Come, come, let's all eat breakfast together!" Meng Dajiang enthusiastically called out, summoning Liu Yebai and Yan Jin from their rooms next door.

"This is quite a spread," Liu Yebai couldn't help but exclaim, looking at the breakfast table in the courtyard.

"I asked the guild hall staff to send all the breakfast here so we could eat together," Meng Dajiang said. "There's plenty to go around."

Yan Jin also nodded, sat next to Meng Chuan, and began to eat with his head down.

Meng Chuan also drank his congee and ate his steamed buns.

"We have meat buns, white steamed buns, and pancakes!" Meng Dajiang enthusiastically announced. He, too, was eating pancakes and congee, taking his time, unhurriedly.

"What are you two planning to do today?" Liu Yebai asked, in high spirits. "Want to go out and explore Yuanchu City?"

Meng Chuan replied, "After I woke up, I looked at the Yuanchu City map on the bookshelf. Yuanchu City is simply too vast; there are so many places to visit and explore that even three to five months wouldn't be enough. I think I'll just stay and cultivate within the guild hall."

Yan Jin also said, "I'll cultivate in the guild hall too."

"Alright, alright, you two cultivate," Liu Yebai said with a smile. "We two old fellows will go for a stroll."

Soon, Meng Chuan and Yan Jin were both full.

It was only then that Meng Dajiang began to eat more quickly, devouring the buns and steamed bread in single bites and the pancakes in two. The entire pot of warmed congee beside him was slurped down.

Yan Jin, watching from the side, felt his eyelids twitch. He couldn't help but glance at Meng Chuan, who didn't eat much, but his father... he could really eat!

"I don't like wasting food," Meng Dajiang said with a chuckle as he stood up. "You two cultivate diligently; we're going out for a walk."

Liu Yebai also left the courtyard with him.

The two men leisurely walked around Wuzhou Guild Hall. It was very large, and the scenery was beautiful.

"You're not full, are you?" Liu Yebai teased, glancing at Meng Dajiang.

"The battle against the demon race yesterday depleted too much of my blood energy; I need to eat to recover quickly," Meng Dajiang replied. "Let's find a place outside and get some whole pigs and sheep to eat."

Liu Yebai nodded, "Alright."

"By the way," Meng Dajiang said, "the Liu family will probably find out about Qiyue awakening her Phoenix bloodline, won't they?"

"Hmph," Liu Yebai scoffed. "For years, I've been avoiding them, but now it's different. My daughter has awakened the Phoenix bloodline and entered Yuanchu Mountain; what do I have to fear? Even if the Liu family finds out, they'll have to come begging me."

"Are you planning to go back?" Meng Dajiang pressed.

"Unless they return Elephant-Sheep Mountain to my lineage, I'll never go back, not even in death," Liu Yebai said with disdain. "They'll say sweet words, they'll come begging me. But return Elephant-Sheep Mountain? Impossible. Only if my daughter becomes a Marquis in the future will the Liu family truly humble themselves, and Elephant-Sheep Mountain will be dutifully handed over."

"A Marquis?" Meng Dajiang nodded slightly. "That's very difficult."

Indeed, it was difficult. A Marquis was among the foremost figures in all of Wuzhou. If a powerful cultivator with the Phoenix Divine Body became a Marquis... their deterrent power would be far greater! The Liu family would likely willingly invite Liu Qiyue to become the family head.

"Let's not talk about these bothersome things," Liu Yebai said. "Come on, let's go out and get you something to eat."

Within Wuzhou Guild Hall, Meng Chuan cultivated in his usual manner.

However, without guards and servants to assist him, he performed his drawing sword technique alone.

Whoosh. Whoosh. Whoosh.

The sword light, like flowing water, sliced through the air repeatedly, yet caused no ripples. Clearly, at his current level, by influencing the power of heaven and earth, even the air no longer presented resistance.

He performed strike after strike.

In the past, Meng Chuan needed guards to shoot crossbow bolts for him to slash, first to practice accuracy, and second to ensure each of his strikes could be faster.

Now, however, Meng Chuan found that the absence of guards didn't significantly affect him.

His ten-zhang domain could freely lock onto a single dust particle floating in the air! He would then strike it with a single slash, practicing his accuracy. Unfortunately, while dust particles were small, they floated too slowly, making the difficulty rather low.

As for the speed of his blade techniques? Based on his perception, the speed of each strike was precisely sensed, allowing him to clearly judge his own speed.

So, even without guards, his efficiency only slightly decreased; he could still practice accuracy and swift strikes.

Yan Jin and Meng Chuan had lunch together. As for Meng Dajiang and Liu Yebai, the two elders, they hadn't returned from their outing.

After his cultivation session, Meng Chuan simply rinsed himself off with the well water in the courtyard, changed his clothes, and then sat at the desk in his room, preparing to draw.

The drawing materials had been purchased by guild hall staff whom Meng Chuan had asked to help him early that morning, for which he had, of course, paid with silver.

"Dongning Prefecture."

Meng Chuan looked at the pristine white scroll, his thoughts drifting to his hometown, Dongning Prefecture. He held his brush, but hesitated.

He had a lot bottled up inside.

From the demon race's invasion yesterday morning until now, everything he had experienced had affected Meng Chuan deeply.

He had experienced something similar when he was six, but back then, he was merely a child fleeing for his life. Now, at eighteen, he had fully participated in the Battle of Dongning Prefecture, and the impact was entirely different.

The intense emotions brewed within him, and when they were on the verge of overflowing, he no longer hesitated, picking up his brush and beginning to draw.