Chapter 296: How Could Anyone Worship Chi Jiuyu?!

I suspect you're mocking me, and I've got solid proof!

Lin Xingyue muttered a few curses under his breath.

But he said nothing, merely watching quietly as Qi Ling pulled out one artifact after another.

It's still too early to say—what if she actually cracks it? Wouldn't my rebuttal make me look like a fool?

Who says body cultivators are all muscle in the head? I'm very level-headed!

Soon, all manner of artifacts spread across the valley entrance, their spiritual light interweaving.

Master Xiao Yu frowned: "These artifacts… aren't sold on Shenji Lianbao Pavilion's official site, are they?"

"These are third-generation Shenji-series restriction-deconstruction artifacts. They're scheduled for release in two years," Zhou Kongming explained.

Third-generation…

The second-generation Shenji-series artifacts are still what's on the spiritual net right now.

"Is the visual difference between third- and second-generation that drastic?"

He himself owned a set of second-generation Shenji-series restriction-deconstruction artifacts.

"Because of the new spiritual-mechanical architecture, the appearance differs significantly. You can bring your second-gen model later for an exchange—it'll save you a lot."

These words made Lin Xingyue frown from beside him.

"This third-gen should still be internal intel from Shenji Lianbao Pavilion. How do you know about it?"

"… " Master Xiao Yu turned to him, eyes dark and piercing. "I advise you not to ask such meaningless questions."

"Huh?"

How is that meaningless?

"It's not exactly internal intel. Your Long Xiang Qing Tian Sect should receive news of this generation soon enough."

"Oh."

So that's how it is.

Master Xiao Yu glanced at him, remembering he was a brute body cultivator, and said nothing more.

Ahead, Qi Ling confidently marched with her array of artifacts to the front of the pale golden barrier.

She gestured, summoning a crystal-like artifact hovering beside her, which projected a mysterious light onto the barrier.

First analyze the spiritual energy flow and structure, then proceed to the next step.

The third-generation Shenji-series restriction-deconstruction artifact was equipped with the most advanced spiritual detection module—a product of the latest research into qi structure.

Hummm~

It emitted a pained wail, as if overloaded.

Boom!

The artifact exploded outright—a small fireball mixed with thick smoke, leaving the stunned Qi Ling dusty and grimy.

She wasn't hurt.

It exploded?

What's going on? Even if the analysis failed, it shouldn't have exploded!

Shhh~

A sword-light streaked in—Zhou Kongming had arrived beside Qi Ling.

"What happened?"

"Nothing. The artifact just exploded. This restriction is strange—wait, I'll—"

His words cut off as a line of text materialized on the pale golden barrier—

【Insufficient authority: non-Three Heavens Realm cultivator】

Huh???

What the hell?

Insufficient authority?

"This thing can tell I'm not from the Three Heavens Realm?!" Qi Ling's eyes widened.

"It must be the work of a senior from your sect," Zhou Kongming said.

The Ascension Hall within your sect, this absurdly unusual restriction at the Ascension Sacred Site, the Ascension Platform inside…

All of this is more than enough to reveal the truth.

If he still didn't see it, he'd be a complete idiot.

Of course, Qi Ling didn't count—her sect hadn't even built an Ascension Hall; it was natural she couldn't connect the dots.

Behind them.

Lin Xingyue looked at the two standing at the valley entrance, as if understanding something, and exclaimed in realization:

"No wonder—I figured they were an item."

Master Xiao Yu: "…"

What a crude, brutish body cultivator!

That's called mutual affection, you idiot.

When those two surround you and beat you up, Dao-er will kick your mouth several times!

…

…

Inside the valley—a space that does not exist in reality.

"If you manage to crack it, what would become of me?"

Though merely a sword-intent spiritual avatar, I am still an Immortal, after all!

"But the current magical artifacts have rather clever designs."

Compared to the past, everything keeps advancing.

In today's Xuan Realm, magical artifacts encompass all manner of forms, touching upon most fields, so there is no unified or clear ranking system among them.

After all, if it's a weapon, one can simply rank it by offensive power, but it's hard to define the grade of various functional auxiliary artifacts.

Artifacts within the same field and category are manageable, but those from different fields are nearly impossible to compare.

Most importantly, assigning a rank holds little meaning.

If one must classify them, then only by category: Soulless Artifacts, Soul-Infused Artifacts, and Immortal Artifacts.

But this doesn't mean Soul-Infused Artifacts are stronger than Soulless Artifacts!

"And nowadays the young people are quite lively."

At the valley entrance, Lin Xingyue, provoked by his earlier words, was being chased and beaten by Zhou Kongming and Qi Ling.

Since the two teamed up, Lin Xingyue was soon trapped in a sword formation.

Nearby, Master Xiao Yu took the opportunity to kick him twice.

But in the end, the two, their intentions exposed, shyly came together, and Master Xiao Yu, who had struck from behind, was quite satisfied.

Only Lin Xingyue was filled with grievance.

What a strange turn of events.

Only after they gave up, helpless against the valley entrance's restrictions and departed, did Xu Xing shake his head with a smile.

In life, many choices come with corresponding responsibilities — this is why he has never made certain decisions.

Of course, there's a saying that goes well.

Children make choices!

Xu Xing didn't consider himself a perfect man, perhaps not even a good one. He had his likes and dislikes, his own desires.

Yet his master's old instructions remained unfulfilled, and though he now held complete advantage, the future's course was hard to predict.

Attachments…

They were already too many; he needed no more.

At least not now.

…………

In the Mortal Realm, Jingcheng of the Songyun Dynasty.

After the recent great battle, the townsfolk lived in constant dread, fearing the calamity-like scene might return.

But as this period passed in calm, the people gradually ceased to care.

After all, life must go on.

!. read

"I want that string!"

Chi Jiuyu took a candied hawthorn from an old man with white hair and handed him a fragment of silver.

"Here, no need for change!"

"Huh?"

When the old man lifted his head and peered forward with cloudy eyes, the lively little girl who had just been there was gone.

Hm?

His mind couldn't catch up.

How could a person vanish in the blink of an eye?

Meanwhile, on the other side.

Chi Jiuyu held a windmill in one hand and a candied hawthorn in the other.

She bit down on two haws at once, chewed vigorously, her eyes darting left and right, pausing occasionally — even if two dogs fought on the street, she'd stop to watch.

Walking and pausing like this, after a long while, she arrived before a five-story, three-level tavern named 【Yunhe Tower】.

She looked up: "Xiao Yunlu must mean this place."

Entering, she saw stages for song and dance, melodious string and flute music, connected bridges and railings, lights as bright as day.

The tables were full of guests, yet no noise arose.

Chi Jiuyu glanced around, then directly ascended the side stairs to the second floor, arriving before the private room Zhang Yunlu had told her about.

Upon entering.

She found three people seated inside; one figure wearing a wide-brimmed hat froze rigid upon seeing her.

"Oh? Xiao Yunlu, this is your friend?"

She feigned curiosity and sat down among them.

"You're here, Ye Shijie."

Nangong Ruo: "..."

Holy shit, Chi Jiuyu is your senior sister!

"Oh! So Jiuyu Elder is your senior sister!" Lin Xuanxuan was also astonished.

Her gaze, curious and tinged with reverence, constantly scanned Chi Jiuyu.

Jiuyu Elder?

Mm.

Good, good.

So polite — Jiuyu Laozu loves children who are polite.

"That's right, I'm Xiao Yunlu's senior sister, the legendary Sword Sovereign's first disciple, the future head of Zong Sect."

Clang!

It sounded as if something had fallen to the ground.

From beneath the wide-brimmed hat came Nangong Ruo's stammering voice: "Chi Jiuyu… Senior, are you the disciple of the legendary Sword Sovereign?"

"Of course I am. Why would I lie to you?"

Chi Jiuyu raised an eyebrow—after Master had taken Xiao Yunlu, he no longer needed to hide this fact.

"What, doesn't it seem so?"

"No, no…"

She had always known Chi Jiuyu's background was formidable, but never imagined it was this extreme.

This was a true Immortal's disciple!

Yet she remembered: the legendary Sword Sovereign was cold, solitary, aloof, and serene—how could he have trained such an abstract disciple?

Nangong Ruo had a flood of words bottled up inside, but dared not speak them—after all, when Chi Jiuyu fought, he left no mercy!

"Wait? If you're the legendary Sword Sovereign's disciple, then Zhang Yunlu must be too."

"Oh no." Chi Jiuyu smacked his forehead, turning to Zhang Yunlu. "Right—Master never allowed us to reveal our identities! But uh… they figured it out themselves, so Master probably won't blame us."

Zhang Yunlu: "..."

Sister, your acting was a bit too obvious.

"Master never mentioned this."

"Huh?"

Now it was Chi Jiuyu's turn to freeze.

How could that be? He'd been strictly ordered by Master himself!

Isn't this tradition?

For some reason, Nangong Ruo, watching this scene, suddenly felt like laughing—but she held it in.

"By the way, Senior Jiuyu, are you also going to Tai Xuan Tian?" Lin Xuanxuan's voice broke the silence.

Then, eagerly, she pulled out a tray of snacks and pills and pushed it toward Chi Jiuyu.

"That's right, that's right!" Chi Jiuyu bit into the last candied hawthorn. "We only get to visit the Outer Realms once in a while—of course we have to see every place, right?"

"Mm-hmm! Senior Jiuyu speaks wisely."

Nangong Ruo watched Lin Xuanxuan's behavior from the side, feeling something odd inside.

It felt… like she admired Chi Jiuyu!

But quickly, she denied it in her mind.

Illusion!

It must be an illusion!

How could anyone admire such an abstract Chi Jiuyu!

Yet when she turned her head, she saw Zhang Yunlu also gazing at Chi Jiuyu, her eyes shining with the same light as Lin Xuanxuan's—or even more…

Huh?

Nangong Ruo began to doubt reality.

What's wrong with this world?

Wait!

Could it be… that I'm the one who's actually abnormal?! (End of Chapter)