Chapter 61: Sp...Spirit Artifact!
“Fellow disciples, hold on a little longer!”
“We’ll be home soon!”
High above the vast sky of the Seven Stars Sea Region.
An enormous floating giant ship was slowly advancing.
Old Huang stood at the bow of the giant ship, gazing at the distant outline of Tiangong Island, his expression excited.
He was now not only an Outer Gate elder, but also the Director of the Commerce Administration, a newly established bureau of the Chaotian Sect.
In recent years, the Chaotian Sect’s recruitment of disciples and external procurement had almost all been handled by Old Huang.
So Lu Qingyang had casually established a Commerce Administration.
The disciples within the bureau were selected as much as possible from those of higher cultivation and older age within the sect.
Yet the oldest among them had only just turned eighteen.
Apart from Old Huang, the highest cultivation was only Qi Refining Layer Six.
Who could blame the Chaotian Sect for having been established too recently?
Fortunately, the Sect Management Manual stipulated that anywhere in the Central Region, as long as it was a human race official road, whether sea, sky, or ground.
No killing for treasures, no raiding of ships.
Of course, the threat of demon beasts could not be avoided.
But the official roads were generally quite safe.
Few demon beasts without eyes would rampage on the official roads.
After all, on the floating official road from the Seven Stars Sea Region to the Vast Sea City alone, Mahayana Venerables of the Sect Management Council could often be seen.
It was precisely because of this that Old Huang dared to lead a group of half-grown brats out to sea time and again.
“Director, why do we have to travel a thousand li to the Vast Sea City to trade supplies every time?”
“Can’t the Seven Stars Pavilion also sell supplies and trade spirit ores? The round trip is only about a month.”
A plump disciple with an honest face could not help but ask.
Old Huang smiled. “Silly boy, the road to the Seven Stars Pavilion has no official road.”
“To be safe, what does walking a bit more matter?”
As he spoke, the floating giant ship slowly lowered its altitude and entered an island port.
“Boom!”
The giant ship landed steadily, kicking up waves tens of meters high.
“Creak~~”
The enormous cabin opened, and Old Huang led the disciples down.
In his bosom were several storage bags.
Behind him, several disciples drove two second-tier wild bulls pulling a cart slowly toward the shore.
These wild bulls were a relatively docile type among Foundation Establishment demon beasts, massive in size and extremely strong, suited for labor.
Things that could not fit into storage bags were transported by these wild bulls.
“Huff—”
“Huff—”
The two wild bulls dragged the heavy cart to the dock, kicking up dust everywhere.
“Little Five, Little Six, unload the cart.”
Old Huang instructed the disciples on either side, but noticed that in the distance, among the disciples coming to receive them, a hint of blue robes was faintly mixed in.
Is that an Inner Gate disciple?
Someone in the sect has already broken through to Foundation Establishment?
Old Huang was inwardly startled. He looked closely.
But found that the newcomer was actually a short-haired silver-haired girl, and her aura had not yet stepped into Foundation Establishment.
“Greetings, Director Huang. Master sent me to invite you over.”
Zhao Layue lowered her head slightly, her voice young yet carrying a trace of coldness, like a pearl falling into a jade plate.
“May I ask this junior sister’s honored name, and your… Master is?”
Old Huang collected his thoughts and cupped his hands.
Though he was an Outer Gate Director, toward this little girl in blue robes, he did not dare to put on airs.
After all, to become the first disciple of the Chaotian Sect to wear a blue robe without having broken through to Foundation Establishment.
This person was certainly not simple.
“This disciple is named Zhao Layue. My Master is… Lu Qingyang.”
Zhao Layue spoke calmly, her voice crisp and pleasant.
“So it is the Sect Master’s Core Disciple. Forgive my rudeness.”
Hearing this, Old Huang hurriedly cupped his hands.
He knew this girl who could wear a blue robe at merely the Qi Refining stage was certainly not simple!
After all, the Chaotian Sect followed the old system.
The Outer Gate wore white robes; only the Inner Gate could wear blue robes.
And only Lu Qingyang disliked purple robes, wearing whatever came to mind each day.
Thinking of this, Old Huang did not dare delay. He summoned a second-tier flying sword, lifted Zhao Layue, and flew toward the Inner Gate’s Chaotian Peak.
The Spirit Lake at the peak.
Lu Qingyang, in blue robes, was sitting on a wooden reclining chair.
In his hand was a fishing rod made of bamboo, fishing leisurely.
“Plop~~”
Suddenly, the water rippled, and a slight curve formed at the corner of Lu Qingyang’s mouth.
“Here it comes!”
“Splash~”
The next moment, a completely transparent spirit fish leaped out of the lake surface.
Lu Qingyang reached out and caught it, examining it.
“I never imagined that in this lake water irrigated by the ‘Dao’-level Minor Rain-Cloud Art, such a wondrous thing could actually be born.”
Lu Qingyang looked at the spirit fish that kept writhing, its whole body emitting dense spiritual qi.
A trace of wonder flashed through his eyes.
Then, with a slight pinch of two fingers.
“Pop~~”
With a soft sound, the spirit fish was instantly pinched apart into countless motes of spiritual light scattering down.
Lu Qingyang reached out and inhaled, and all the spiritual light was swallowed into his belly.
A rich spiritual power flowed from his meridians into his dantian.
Lu Qingyang felt the spiritual power within his body clearly increase by a hair, and a gratified expression immediately emerged on his face.
Given enough time, after many years, won’t my Spirit Lake compare to the legendary Heavenly Pool?
One day, it wouldn’t be strange if I fished out a spirit dragon from this lake.
Lu Qingyang stroked his chin and muttered to himself.
“Pfft!”
“Clack!”
Suddenly, a crisp footstep came from beside Lu Qingyang.
He turned to look.
And saw the frail Zhao Layue leading the somewhat portly Old Huang over.
“Master, Director Huang is here.”
Seeing Lu Qingyang, Zhao Layue first bowed.
“Mm, you may withdraw.”
Lu Qingyang waved his hand, and casually tossed out a pill into Zhao Layue’s bosom.
“I see you are about to break through to mid-stage Qi Refining. This pill will benefit you. Take it and eat it.”
“Thank you, Master.”
Hearing Lu Qingyang’s words, Zhao Layue without a shred of hesitation stuffed the pill into her mouth and turned to leave.
Watching the girl’s departing back, Old Huang was somewhat tongue-tied.
How could he possibly fail to see that what Lu Qingyang had casually tossed out was an extremely rare first-tier top-grade Qi-Nourishing Pill.
Though this pill’s tier was not high, it was top-grade quality.
After all, pills were divided not only by tier but also by quality.
A first-tier top-grade pill was not only rich in medicinal power but also extremely gentle, with very little pill toxin.
For Qi Refinement cultivators, it was simply a rare sacred medicine for cultivation!
Old Huang could not help but inwardly sigh. Just what is different about this newly promoted disciple?
How could Lu Qingyang know what Old Huang was thinking? He was comfortably enjoying the buff Zhao Layue had given him.
He had now figured out the buff pattern of his precious disciple.
Every first and fifteenth of the month was the best time to receive the buff; not only was the effect obvious, it was also extremely intense.
And each time, he did not need to reward much — just enough to hit that point.
If he gave more, the effect was no different.
Therefore Lu Qingyang was quite at ease. When the day came, he would give her a few little trinkets he had casually refined.
After the buff was applied, he would study the various cultivation problems or refining difficulties that had long stumped him.
Often he would advance a thousand li in a day, quite fruitful.
Of course, Zhao Layue naturally knew none of this.
“Greetings, Sect Master.”
After Old Huang respectfully greeted him, he stood to the side.
“Oh, I nearly forgot the proper business.”
The dazed look on Lu Qingyang’s face vanished, and he looked at Old Huang solemnly.
“The goods — did you buy enough?”
“I did not fail the Sect Master’s trust. Everything has been procured, and I even had the fortune to purchase a fifth-tier spirit ore at a low price.”
“But because it is heavy, the storage bag cannot hold it.”
“I have already instructed the disciples to bring it over.”
Old Huang said as he took out a storage bag and handed it over.
“Fifth-tier spirit ore?”
“Good!”
“Old Huang, for the Chaotian Sect’s first Spirit Artifact to be born, your contribution cannot go unmentioned.”
Lu Qingyang’s eyes flickered with brilliance.
“Spirit… Spirit Artifact?”
Old Huang was stunned.
With his qualifications and experience, he had almost no concept of Spirit Artifacts.
He only knew that was not something that generally appeared only in biographies and storybooks…