Chapter 116: The Woman Who Carries the Banner

"How's it? Saw the mission yet?"

She turned around and found Chi Jiuyu, who had just been lounging with one leg crossed and staring at the ceiling, now standing beside her.

"You…"

"That's right, I knew about it in advance, which is why I bought those two invitation tickets."

"I…"

"This kind of mission isn't hard—I've completed several before."

"This…"

"Although those alien kings and biological weapon cores are comparable to Nascent Soul, they'll be suppressed to the same realm as you, so don't worry."

"…"

Fine.

She'd already said it all—there was no need for her to ask further.

"Let's go, let's go! First, let's have a big meal, then you spend some time adapting in the Starlight Simulation Training Ground before we set out."

Then Chi Jiuyu pulled Zhang Yunlu away.

Several Void-Refining elders still in the hall fell into thought.

Creation Foundation Establishment, mission assigned.

Could it be that in a while, we'll have another Xiao Shu Zu? Sigh~ A Void-Refining elder with slightly streaked temples, looking middle-aged, let out a soft sigh.

People really can't be compared—he only hoped his grandson could complete the third stage of the Cultivation Method and establish a Natural Dao Foundation.

Yet just then, in the Cultivation Method training zone.

As one training room's door opened, a stretcher floated out into the air, slowly gliding forward, surrounded by a light membrane that blocked all odors.

The Void-Refining elder froze, then his face darkened sharply.

This useless brat!

Meanwhile.

The two had already stepped outside.

"Hey! Look, you made the list—third place!"

Like a ranking board formed from the last glow of sunset, it hung down, names arranged in order—Zhang Yunlu's name stood clearly among them.

Third…

"Are the top two also Creation Foundation Establishment?"

"Yes, both of them!"

Previously, Chi Jiuyu had invited them to join his 'Future Sect Master Alliance,' but they'd all refused.

When her senior sister found out, she mocked her for a long time, saying she was overreaching.

Damn! Like I couldn't even find anyone—look, I found someone now! "The one ranked first wasn't born on our Central Continent—he's from a planet in the Southern Star Region." Chi Jiuyu continued explaining.

"A few years ago, his homeworld was attacked by biological weapons; by the time the Xiang Jianzong reinforcements arrived, less than one in ten thousand of its people remained."

"That's when he realized his principle."

An entire planet's population—less than one in ten thousand remained?

Zhang Yunlu didn't know what to say; everything Chi Jiuyu described was hard for someone raised on the Central Continent to comprehend.

She couldn't even imagine what such a scene looked like.

"Is the Starlight… that dangerous?"

"Of course it's dangerous! The Starlight is too vast—even my senior brothers and sisters can't monitor every planet constantly."

There's a saying.

In the Starlight, you never know whether tomorrow or disaster comes first.

"By the way, my senior brother originally planned to take him as a disciple."

So it sounds like he didn't end up taking him?

"Why not?" Zhang Yunlu asked.

"He moved too fast—he directly became a disciple of the Dao-Comprehension elder who came to reinforce them. After my senior brother found out, he gave up." Chi Jiuyu's tone carried a hint of melancholy. "..."

"Alright, let's go." Chi Jiuyu summoned a blue-gold longsword and leapt lightly onto its blade. "Try sword-riding—you've probably studied the Art of Controlling Objects. I'll teach you; you can fly and learn at the same time."

Sounds incredibly dangerous…

But Zhang Yunlu didn't refuse; she took out the ice-crystal longsword she'd won during the Combat Test.

Chi Jiuyu glanced at it: "Find time to exchange it for a better sword or get someone to upgrade it—this one's too low-grade. Fine for Qi Condensation, but it'll lag behind once you reach Foundation Establishment."

After all, it was just a reward from a combat test at the Xuanjian City school—it wasn't impressive at all.

"Where can I upgrade its rank?"

She liked the sword and didn't plan to replace it.

"Far away? No—it's right in front of you." Chi Jiuyu grinned and pointed at herself.

"?"

"I'll transmit you a Sword-Nourishing technique later, then use this Secret Realm from my Xiao Shu Clan." She shook the small red bead that had somehow appeared in her hand, "Just nourish it a bit."

"Let's go—I'll explain the details on the way."

The blue-gold longsword slowly lifted Chi Jiuyu into the air.

Zhang Yunlu carefully stepped onto her ice-crystal sword, mobilized her true energy, and rose unsteadily.

"Practice for now; after this mission, go take the Sword-Riding License Exam," Chi Jiuyu said beside her.

But Zhang Yunlu wasn't listening closely—watching the ground recede farther beneath her, she grew increasingly cautious.

Just then.

A device, palm-sized and resembling a mobile phone, arrived before the two—more precisely, it halted in front of Zhang Yunlu. "Ding! Hello, cultivator, please present your Sword-riding Permit!"

A cold, crisp mechanical voice rang out.

Sword-riding Permit? Zhang Yunlu froze; her true qi output faltered for an instant, and her form swayed, about to plummet.

At the critical moment, the Dao platform in her spiritual sea emitted a mysterious resonance—just as when she had been in peril during Qi Condensation—her entire true qi surged, forcibly stabilizing her form.

At this moment, Chi Jiuyu also approached, pulling out an identification card.

"I am Chi Jiuyu, a Nascent Soul sword cultivator, former champion of the Xiang Jianzong's Sword-riding Race. By regulation, I am qualified to guide cultivators in practicing sword-riding!"

A blue light shot from the device, scanning the card and Chi Jiuyu.

"Identification verified. Wishing you a pleasant day!" The same cold, crisp mechanical voice replied.

After uttering this, the device turned and flew away.

"That voice is unbearable. Once I become sect leader, I'll replace it," Chi Jiuyu muttered, stowing the card. "Let's go."

Thus, the two gradually flew farther away on their swords.

…………

Meanwhile, beneath the Xiang Jianzong's Dan Ding Pavilion.

A woman dressed in beige sportswear, her eyes covered by a white cloth, and carrying a black-and-white Dao banner on her shoulder appeared in the crowd's view.

Four large characters on the banner: "Fate and Fortune Rest With Me."

Her attire was far too conspicuous; many turned to stare at her.

What the hell is this? Is this some staged performance arranged by the Xiang Jianzong?

She paid no heed to the gazes around her, instead looking up at the mountain path.

More precisely, she was watching the two descending the path.

"Xiang Yuanjun?"

The next instant, the surrounding tourists felt a blur before their eyes, involuntarily turning away from the woman.

"What are you here for?" Bie Xuening's icy voice rang out.

"My elder brother has emerged from seclusion; I naturally came to offer my congratulations," the woman whom Xu Xing called "Xiang Yuanjun" smiled lightly.

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(End of chapter)