Chapter 471: Yuan Yao, Wait for Me

"The Floating Immortal Capital is not a place ordinary Cultivators can just stay in at will," Ying Wuji said, "The Floating Immortal Capital is like our Ninth Province's Heaven and Earth Domain, able to provide a venue for the entire cultivation world's Sect Grand Competition."

"The reason the Qi in the Floating Capital is richer than other places on the First Continent is that a massive Spirit‑Gathering Array has been laid at the city's center. This array continuously draws the surrounding Qi into the Floating Capital, a process that is long and gradual."

"Therefore, aside from the decennial Sect Grand Competition and the representatives of the major forces in the cultivation world convening for discussions, essentially no one can stay long in the Floating Capital."

Yuan Yao asked, "Even the Formless Immortal Sovereign can't stay?"

Ying Wuji's expression faltered slightly, then she shook her head, "No."

Yuan Yao heard this, her eyebrows lifted slightly, and she felt relieved inside.

She suddenly recalled something, turned her head toward Ying Wuji, "Youngest Senior Brother, where is your family located on the First Continent?"

Ying Wuji replied, "Immortal Spirit Capital."

At that moment, Cang Li interjected, "Immortal Spirit Capital, I visited there when I was young."

Yuan Yao asked curiously, "Third Senior Brother, could it be that you are also from the First Continent?"

Cang Li lifted his hand and brushed the stray hair on his forehead, "I suppose so. Are you all very curious about my background?"

He turned his head toward them, smiling brightly, and extended his hand to the two of them, "Give me one hundred thousand Top‑Grade Spirit Stones, and I will tell you my earth‑shaking, ghost‑weeping life story."

Yuan Yao bargained, "Ten Top‑Grade Spirit Stones."

Ying Wuji said, "Your life story is worth one Top‑Grade Spirit Stone."

"You two have no eye for value," Cang Li clicked his tongue, then waved his hand.

Immediately, he turned his head to Song Yan, Xiao Lingwei, and Xue Jin, "Do you want to know my life story? Then gather one hundred thousand Top‑Grade Spirit Stones for me."

"You've gone crazy for Spirit Stones?" Xue Jin said in a very flat tone.

Song Yan chuckled.

Xiao Lingwei extended three fingers, "I'll give three Low‑Grade Spirit Stones."

Cang Li: "…"

"My Cangaotian lineage is so twisted and bizarre that even storybooks wouldn't dare write it; you actually don't want to know? Sigh, you all have no eye for value." He let out a deep sigh.

Yuan Yao suddenly said, "Third Senior Brother, do you want to know my background?"

Upon hearing this, Cang Li and the others all turned to look at her.

"Of course," Cang Li replied offhand.

Yuan Yao reached out to him, "Give me one million Top‑Grade Spirit Stones."

Cang Li's face turned dark, "Yuan Yao, you're even darker than me!"

Yuan Yao: "Hehe, you know you're dark too."

They chatted idly while following the group.

Soon they arrived at a side courtyard of the Floating Capital to take residence.

Because the side courtyard's rooms were limited, young disciples shared a room two per chamber.

Yuan Yao shared a room with Xiao Lingwei.

Song Yan shared a room with Ying Wuji.

Cang Li shared a room with Xue Jin.

After entering the room, Yuan Yao secretly messaged Xie Yan, "We have already arrived at the Floating Capital."

"I should be able to reach the Floating Capital tonight," Xie Yan replied quickly, and added at the end, "Wait for me."

Yuan Yao heard those last two words, and the corner of her mouth involuntarily lifted.

Xiao Lingwei saw her sitting at the table staring off, and walked over, "What are you thinking about?"

Yuan Yao came back to herself, shook her head, "I'm not thinking of anything."

"Tonight we will go out to eat together," Xiao Lingwei said, then naturally pulled her to sit in front of the dressing table, and untied Yuan Yao's Bind hair ribbon, "Senior sister will style a bun for you."

"Alright," Yuan Yao smiled.

…

Dusk.

Yuan Yao and Xiao Lingwei went out together.

As they passed the corridor, they ran into Ling Huya and Zhai Qingye.

"Where are you heading?" Zhai Qingye said, a flash of admiration in his eyes upon seeing Yuan Yao.

Yuan Yao now wore a light pink dress, her waist bound with a white silk soft net, the hem embroidered with butterflies poised to take flight, her silk‑like ink‑black hair fluttered in the wind and then fell around her waist; her skin was as clear as jade, unadorned by makeup, yet her face resembled a peach blossom, leaving onlookers spellbound.

"We're going to stroll outside," Xiao Lingwei said.

Ling Huya raised an eyebrow, "Shall we go together?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Lingwei first looked at Yuan Yao.

Yuan Yao also looked toward her own Second Senior Sister, then smiled and nodded, "More people makes it lively."

"Senior Sister, I'm coming too." At that moment, a deep, magnetic voice came from behind Yuan Yao.

Yuan Yao turned around and saw a tall, one‑eyed youth now dressed in a plain ink‑colored robe.

Yuan Yao was startled, then nodded, "Alright."

Before they could leave the side courtyard, the group had already swelled to a crowd.

Among them were eleven members of the Carefree Sect, Zhai Qingye, Ling Huya, Xiao Zhufeng, Dongfangxiu, and Weng Mingshu.

Xiao Lingwei asked, "Is there a casino around here? Shall we gamble a few rounds?"

"There should be," Zhai Qingye replied.

Cang Li sighed, "Second Senior Sister, don't rush to find a casino; let's first wander around here, then find a place to sit, eat, drink, and chat."

"Fine," Xiao Lingwei had no objection.

Inside the Floating Capital, people came and went, most of them the younger generation.

Cang Li went to the Hall of Hundred Herbs and bought a lot of materials for refining pills.

The sky quickly grew dark.

They also found a restaurant, sat down, and had a meal.

While they were eating, Yuan Yao noticed that the emerald green jade tablet in her storage space had lit up.

"I have arrived." A familiar voice came through.

Yuan Yao's heart jumped.

She subconsciously glanced at her own senior brothers and sisters, and seeing that they hadn't noticed, she sent her divine sense into the emerald green jade tablet and replied to him: "Oh."

On the other side, Xie Yan, upon hearing such a brief reply, was stunned for a moment, then immediately sent a message asking: "Where are you now?"

Yuan Yao: "As You Wish Restaurant."

Xie Yan: "Wait for me."

Although Yuan Yao had guessed he would come to find her, hearing his answer, her heart inexplicably tightened a bit.

At that moment, Xue Jin gave her a piece of braised pork.

Yuan Yao suddenly came to her senses, smiling as she said: "Thank you, Fourth Senior Brother."

Xue Jin keenly sensed her change in mood, asking: "Why are you absent-minded?"

"Is there?" Yuan Yao lowered her head, put the piece of marbled braised pork from her bowl into her mouth, chewed a few bites, and then said: "Delicious, delicious."

At this moment, Zhai Qingye said: "In each Immortal Sect Grand Competition, the Three Islands Nine Provinces each send out two hundred talented disciples. To be frank, the overall strength of our Ninth Province's talented disciples is lower than that of other provinces and islands."

Having said that, he took out several bamboo slips.

"This contains information gathered by our Holy Sect about the participating disciples from the other three islands and eight provinces; you can take a look."

Xiao Lingwei and the others took it and flipped it open to look.

Their expressions slightly tightened.

Zhai Qingye added: "Our Ninth Province has one hundred forty-seven Golden Core Realm disciples, forty-nine Nascent Soul Realm disciples, and four Spirit Transformation Realm disciples."

These four Spirit Transformation Realm disciples are, respectively: Ying Wuji, Xiao Lingwei, Xue Jin, and Xiao Zhufeng.

Cang Li, upon seeing the information about the First Province's participating disciples, exclaimed in shock: "The First Province actually has at least sixteen Spirit Transformation Realm disciples?!"