Chapter 139: I Want to Stay!

It wasn't that Lu Ye was blindly overconfident, believing he could defeat enemies several ranks above him. Ever since leaving Qingyun Mountain, he had encountered and killed many cultivators with higher cultivation. During the Dragon Spring Gathering alone, five or six fifth-rank cultivators had fallen by his blade.

His 'Imperial Guard' and 'Sharp Edge' spirit runes significantly boosted his attack and defense, effectively bridging the cultivation gap with his enemies. Therefore, defeating enemies a single rank higher was still well within Lu Ye's capabilities.

Though Lu Ye didn't know exactly what Dong Shuye had experienced, their recent encounter revealed an interesting fact: Dong Shuye was only at the sixth-rank cultivation level! Compared to when he had chased Lu Ye two months ago, Dong Shuye's strength had clearly diminished. Had he faced the Dong Shuye from two months prior that day, Lu Ye knew that even with his own progress, he would surely not have been a match.

A cultivator's cultivation wouldn't just drop without reason. Lu Ye secretly wondered if one of Dong Shuye's spirit apertures had been shattered. The cultivation ranks of Spirit Creek Realm cultivators were straightforward: their rank was determined by the number of Lesser Cycle circulation systems within their bodies. If a spirit aperture were shattered, forming one of these systems would naturally become difficult. Unformed spirit apertures didn't significantly boost a cultivator's power; at most, they increased their spiritual power reserves.

Was it the work of the Xuan Gate?

Lu Ye couldn't ascertain what Dong Shuye had recently experienced, but the shattering of his spirit aperture was undoubtedly linked to the Xuan Gate's attack on the Nine-Star Sect's stronghold. Since the root of the problem lay with himself, Lu Ye finally understood why Dong Shuye was so relentlessly pursuing him. Anyone experiencing such a loss would find it hard to move on; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call their relationship one of ceaseless enmity.

This was good news for Lu Ye; he wouldn't have dared to provoke a seventh-rank Dong Shuye. But if he was only at the sixth-rank... a fight might not be impossible. The prerequisite was for him to advance to the fifth-rank.

He currently had fifty-four spirit apertures open, just nine shy of the sixty-three needed for the fifth-rank. With full dedication to cultivation, it would take less than twenty days! However, executing this plan in the wilderness wouldn't be easy. Should Dong Shuye catch up, Lu Ye would have to flee again. Without any hindrances, Dong Shuye's pursuit speed was now very fast; without the aid of a Windwalk Spirit Talisman, Amber might not be able to outrun him. Therefore, he needed a stable place to cultivate.

With a plan in mind, Lu Ye took out his Ten-Part Map to search and found a suitable location. He consumed a spirit pill, aiming to open his fifty-fifth aperture.

By midnight, Dong Shuye had arrived again. Lu Ye, left with no choice, mounted Amber and continued his escape. Fortunately, Dong Shuye hadn't had much time to recover, so his speed wasn't very fast, allowing Lu Ye enough leeway to continue fleeing.

This cat-and-mouse chase, punctuated by stops for rest, continued for two days. On the second day, in a market town, Lu Ye, riding Amber, dashed into the local Heavenly Mystery Merchant Guild. He had barely set foot inside when Dong Shuye stormed in right behind him, still in hot pursuit.

Many cultivators in the main hall glanced over, secretly alarmed. Dong Shuye's killing intent was overwhelming, and his eyes were bloodshot.

A steward, only at the third-rank cultivation level, cautiously approached. "Fighting is forbidden within the Merchant Guild," he stammered. "If you two have any grievances, please resolve them outside."

"Lodging!" Lu Ye said.

"Uh..." The steward was momentarily taken aback and unsure how to react.

Dong Shuye glared fiercely at the steward, his look threatening: "Agree, and you won't see tomorrow's sun." The steward became even more frightened.

Just then, a powerful spiritual energy fluctuation emerged. An elderly man, past sixty, slowly descended the stairs, leaning on a staff, occasionally letting out a light cough. The old man was hunched over, appearing as if he could collapse at any moment, yet the spiritual light emanating from his body was clearly stronger than Dong Shuye's at his peak. This was at least an eighth-rank Spirit Creek Realm cultivator!

Seeing the old man, Lu Ye's heart settled. He had conducted business with the Heavenly Mystery Merchant Guild numerous times and understood its profound influence. What intrigued him most was the guild's name itself, specifically its use of 'Heavenly Mystery' — a very thought-provoking choice. The cultivation levels of the maids and stewards who handled guests and transactions within the guild were indeed not high; Lu Ye, at least, had never seen cultivators of significant power among them. However, he had always believed that powerful experts must be stationed there. Otherwise, how could they guard so many valuable goods? The world was certainly not short of audacious individuals eager to take risks. Just as every sect's stronghold needed powerful guardians, the Merchant Guild needed them even more.

This was precisely why he had chosen the Heavenly Mystery Merchant Guild as his destination. It was a place of business; as long as he could get inside, he would be temporarily safe, as the guild would never permit any fighting. As it turned out, his guess was correct; there were indeed powerful experts stationed in the guild, though they typically didn't show themselves easily. With Dong Shuye chasing Lu Ye and bursting in, the ordinary stewards could no longer manage the situation, so the powerful guardian of this place naturally made an appearance.

Watching the old man slowly approach, Dong Shuye's eyes showed apprehension. He knew far more than the inexperienced Lu Ye about what a formidable entity the Heavenly Mystery Merchant Guild was. Had he not had reservations, he would have attacked the moment he burst in; why would he merely glare at Lu Ye?

"My young friends, peace is paramount in all matters," the old man said with a trembling voice as he walked over, a friendly smile on his face. He stopped not far from Lu Ye and Dong Shuye, gently tapping his staff on the ground. A burst of spiritual light erupted from the impact point, rapidly expanding outwards. Lu Ye's eye twitched; he realized he had underestimated the old man, who was likely on the same level as Tang Wu.

This display of power was remarkably effective. Dong Shuye quickly reined in his killing intent and cupped his fists towards the old man. "My apologies for the disturbance; I hope you'll forgive me," he said, backing down swiftly. Lu Ye secretly reveled in the sight.

"And this young friend?" the old man asked, turning to Lu Ye.

"I'm here for lodging!"

"All who enter are guests!" The old man smiled, while Dong Shuye's expression turned sour.

The old man then told the steward: "Take this young friend to arrange his lodging. The cost is ten spirit stones per night!"

"Wait!" Lu Ye frowned. "Ten spirit stones a night?" He wondered if he had misheard or if the old man had misspoken.

The old man still smiled: "Ten spirit stones."

"Other merchant guilds only charge one spirit stone a night!" Lu Ye felt a bit targeted, and it was now Dong Shuye's turn to secretly gloat.

The smile on the old man's face gradually faded, and his voice steadily rose. "While all who enter are guests, the Merchant Guild is merely a place of business, not a sanctuary. Anyone who dares to exploit the guild's neutrality will surely pay a price!" He looked coldly at Lu Ye. "Do you understand, young friend?"

What he said was true. The old man had no relation to Lu Ye and thus no reason to favor him. His intervention was meant to deter Dong Shuye, but also to make Lu Ye understand the difficulty and back down. Had the guild not maintained its strict neutrality, avoiding involvement in the conflict between the two factions, he might have personally thrown both of them out.

"Understood," Lu Ye replied, not arguing. Having a stable cultivation environment was currently paramount. He fumbled in his storage bag, pulled out some spirit stones, and handed them to the steward. "I'll stay for ten days first."

The old man was startled, and Dong Shuye was equally astonished. Paying a hundred spirit stones upfront was not typical for a fourth-rank cultivator. The steward held the storage bag, looking at the old man. The old man's smile reappeared on his face: "Find this guest the largest and best room."

"Yes!" The steward replied, gesturing: "This way, honored guest."

Lu Ye, with Amber, followed the steward upstairs.

The old man then looked at Dong Shuye: "And you, young friend? Do you also require lodging?"

"Ten spirit stones a night?" Dong Shuye asked.

"Naturally. The Merchant Guild treats all guests equally."

"Then I'm not staying!" Dong Shuye thought to himself. "I'm not insane; who would stay in a room that costs ten spirit stones a night?" Since he had Lu Ye cornered here, he didn't need to worry about him escaping. After a brief consideration, he simply walked out of the Merchant Guild and stood in front of a shop opposite, staring at the guild's entrance, holding two spirit stones in his hand to slowly recover. He didn't believe Lu Ye could sustain a ten-spirit-stone-a-night stay for long!

The room was spacious, larger than any guest room Lu Ye had previously occupied, and its furnishings gave it a cozy feel. What surprised Lu Ye even more was that the spiritual energy within the room was richer than outside. He secretly guessed that a Spirit Gathering Formation or something similar must have been set up here, which would greatly aid his cultivation. Moreover, the room even had bathing facilities, which was a pleasant bonus.

Weary from his journey, Lu Ye first enjoyed a hearty meal with Amber and cleaned himself up before finally beginning his cultivation. He needed to raise his cultivation as quickly as possible; the cost of ten spirit stones per night was too great. Even with his current modest wealth, he couldn't afford to squander it.

With Spirit Gathering runes applied to all his spirit apertures, Lu Ye immediately noticed a difference. The dense spiritual energy in the room, combined with the runes, made his cultivation significantly more efficient. He cultivated almost without rest, opening one spirit aperture after another: fifty-sixth aperture, fifty-seventh aperture, fifty-eighth aperture...

When truly exhausted, he would take a short nap. If he sat for too long and felt his qi and blood stagnate, he would get up and practice his blade to stretch his muscles and bones. Since entering the Spirit Creek Battlefield, Lu Ye had always cultivated diligently, yet never before had he yearned for such a rapid increase in strength. It wasn't solely about Dong Shuye; the main driver was that each additional night here cost ten spirit stones. It was truly a case of time being money!

On Lu Ye's fourth night staying at the Merchant Guild, on the fifth floor, a graceful steward was reporting the guild's recent profits to the old man, who was listening drowsily. The steward, accustomed to this, finished her report and then added: "There's one more thing I wish to report, elder."

"Speak!"

"Recently, the spirit stone expenditure on the Spirit Gathering Array has increased significantly, almost three or four extra spirit stones per day."

The old man finally opened his eyes: "Where's the problem?"

"In Heavenly Chamber Room Number Three."