Chapter 637: Sword Flight

Although making Meng Jingzhou kneel was a delightful experience, Lu Yang's focus wasn't on that. Regardless of the sword formation's power, its ability to force someone to kneel was incredibly effective. Take Meng Jingzhou's performance just now as an example: even if he had adopted a defensive stance, the sudden kneel forced him to adjust his posture and center of gravity, rendering his defense useless and catching him completely off guard!

The upper limit of this move was even more impressive; the Qilin Immortal had personally tested it, and when mastered, it could even affect Immortals. However, it was unclear which cultivation level the first layer of the sword formation was effective against. It definitely worked on Nascent Soul cultivators, but what about Soul Transformation cultivators? That was hard to say. Moreover, the Soul Transformation stage senior disciples in the sect couldn't be treated as ordinary Soul Transformation cultivators, so they didn't serve as a valid reference.

“Never mind, I'll find some unlucky Soul Transformation cultivator to test it on when I have time.”

Lu Yang was sincerely grateful to the Qilin Immortal for leaving behind such a peerless sword formation. He resolved to tell Senior Lianyi this good news when he had the chance, as a way to repay the Qilin Immortal's 'dirt-eating' kindness.

“Come on, let's continue!” Lu Yang insisted, pulling Meng Jingzhou to resume the unfinished experiment. Meng Jingzhou vehemently refused.

“Are you kidding? I'm not stupid. One kneel wasn't enough, and you expect me to kneel twice?”

“Alright then, why did you look for me?”

Given Meng Jingzhou's personality, he wouldn't seek him out without reason.

“As you know, I ran away from home, but I've been using spirit stones my sister gave me before she left. If word gets out, it'll damage my reputation as a young master.”

“This young master has found an excellent way to earn money independently—earning my own and spending my own. Coincidentally, I heard about a black market outside, where Nascent Soul stage cultivators hold regular gatherings. They exchange information, barter, and buy treasures there. I plan to go there and make a fortune!”

Going alone would be boring, so why not bring someone along?

Lu Yang stroked his chin. It sounded like a good place. Although both he and Meng Jingzhou were only at the 'Heavy Infant' stage, they could, by rounding up, be considered Nascent Soul cultivators and thus attend.

“Alright.”

Meng Jingzhou smiled and patted Lu Yang's shoulder. “I knew you'd agree. I'll go get Old Ma.”

Lu Yang pulled Meng Jingzhou back just as he was about to leave. “No need to call Old Ma; I'll take you.”

Meng Jingzhou was puzzled. “How will you take me? By sword flight?”

Lu Yang gave a mysterious smile. “Something like that.”

With the increasing popularity of flying cars invented by Lu Yang, more and more cultivators had grown fond of this novel transportation magical artifact. They offered guaranteed safety; even in an aerial collision, the airbags inside ensured survival, making them far more practical than traditional flying swords. In the sky, besides common flying boats, the usage rate of flying cars was steadily rising year by year. Flying cars were a new phenomenon, relatively rare for most cultivators, and occasionally, cultivators would turn their heads, drawn by a sleek flying car passing by.

However, today, an even more eye-catching mode of transportation soared through the air, causing passengers on passing flying boats to constantly crane their necks. It was a magical artifact approximately 2.5 meters long, 1.5 meters wide, and 1.5 meters high, with an open-top design. Its interior space was ample, allowing cultivators to stand, sit, crouch, or even lie down. Its grayish-brown exterior appeared understated yet noble, and the uneven marks on its surface revealed the erosion of time, testifying to the artifact's long history and its enduring resilience through the ages.

The Sword Washing Pond was currently carrying Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou towards their destination, both lying on opposite sides of the pond.

“This is what you meant by sword flight?”

“Is a sword sheath part of a sword?”

“Yes.”

“Does a sword sheath serve to hold a sword, making it a type of container?”

“Yes.”

“Does a Sword Washing Pond also serve to hold swords, making it a type of container?”

“Yes.”

“So, is a Sword Washing Pond equivalent to a sword sheath?”

“Yes.”

“Then is a Sword Washing Pond part of a sword?”

“Yes.”

“Therefore, if I fly on a Sword Washing Pond, isn't it fundamentally the same as sword flight?”

Meng Jingzhou: “...”

“You actually have a point.”

“You know, it really is more comfortable than ordinary sword flight,” Meng Jingzhou said, stretching lazily and feeling so relaxed he wanted to doze off, acknowledging Lu Yang's logic.

Considering the impact on public order and decency, Lu Yang hadn't filled the pond with water; bathing in public view wouldn't have been very presentable.

A flying boat passed by. Onboard, a child, holding a female cultivator's hand, pointed at the two 'big brothers' lying in the pond and spoke in a childish voice.

“Mama, what kind of magical artifact is that?”

The female cultivator quickly pulled her child into the resting cabin.

Just as Lu Yang was enjoying this unique sword-flight experience, an officer in official uniform stopped them. With a serious expression, he raised his right hand, bringing the Sword Washing Pond to a halt.

“Stop flying.”

“Officer, is there a problem?”

Lu Yang stood up from the Sword Washing Pond, looking confused. Judging by the officer's uniform, he appeared to be an official responsible for managing aerial order. However, Lu Yang didn't understand why he had been stopped. There didn't seem to be any rule prohibiting new magical artifacts from flying. Drunk flying? Neither of them had been drinking.

“You're overloaded.”

Lu Yang: “...”

Meng Jingzhou: “...”

“Who is operating this magical artifact?”

“I am,” Lu Yang replied.

“What's your cultivation level?”

“Nascent Soul stage.”

The officer looked down and wrote a ticket. “The law stipulates that sword flight may only carry one person. Violators face a basic fine of fifty to one hundred spirit stones. For those with higher cultivation levels, the fine is proportional, excluding special circumstances like emergency evasions or rescues. You are at the Nascent Soul stage, so the fine ranges from five thousand to ten thousand spirit stones. Seeing as your attitude is good, according to regulations, the fine is five thousand spirit stones. Do you have any objections?”

“Wait, this counts as sword flight?”

The officer nodded, his expression unchanged. “Is a sword sheath part of a sword?”

“Yes.”

“Does a sword sheath serve to hold a sword, making it a type of container?”

“Yes.”

“This is a Sword Washing Pond, correct?”

“Yes.”

“Does a Sword Washing Pond also serve to hold swords, making it a type of container?”

“Yes.”

“...Alright, officer, you don't need to say more. I'll pay the fine.” Lu Yang resigned himself to his bad luck, knowing exactly what the officer was going to say next.

“Then sign here,” the officer said, tearing off the ticket and handing it to Lu Yang.

“Wait a moment,” Meng Jingzhou pulled Lu Yang back.

Five thousand spirit stones wasn't a large sum, but Meng Jingzhou felt it was inauspicious to pay a fine before even earning any money, especially when they were out to make some. He stepped forward to plead on Lu Yang's behalf. “Officer, please understand that my brother is flying a sword for the first time and doesn't know the rules. We are also disciples of the Dao Seeking Sect. Could you perhaps make an exception?”

Upon hearing that they were disciples of the Dao Seeking Sect, the officer's eyes widened in surprise, and his attitude clearly changed. “Are you truly from the Dao Seeking Sect?”

“How could it be fake?” Meng Jingzhou pulled out his identity jade token, revealing their status.

The officer took back the ticket, causing both men to breathe a sigh of relief. However, the officer proceeded to write out a new ticket and handed it to Lu Yang:

“Headquarters has instructed that fines for Dao Seeking Sect disciples are doubled. The fine is ten thousand spirit stones.”