Chapter 144: The Tianjiang Trade Fair Descends

"I haven't taken any pills!"

Zhang Nuo spoke the truth; he had never taken any pills to begin with. It was only during the initial stage of his closed-door cultivation that the Spiritual Qi surging through his body caused him some internal injuries, which led him to take some pills to treat them.

However, hearing these words, it was as if the most explosive news had reached Zhuge Qing's ears. She scanned Zhang Nuo up and down, left and right, as if she didn't recognize him anymore.

"What are you looking at?"

Feeling somewhat embarrassed by Zhuge Qing's gaze, Zhang Nuo took a few steps back.

"You really are a cultivation genius!"

After a long while, the young girl finally squeezed out this sentence. In her heart, however, she was extremely shocked. To reach the Foundation Establishment Mid-stage in just a few years relying solely on the body's power without taking pills—such a cultivation speed was something even those with exceptional aptitude on the Tianyuan Continent could not hope to achieve.

In truth, Zhuge Qing only knew one side of the story and not the other. Firstly, Zhang Nuo possessed a Magic Treasure like the Nine Dragon Sword Case that could gather Spiritual Qi, so he naturally had no worries regarding Spiritual Qi during cultivation. Secondly, he had the personal guidance of Chunyangzi; with Chunyangzi's profound cultivation, guiding a little fellow at the Foundation Establishment Stage was an easy task.

With these two factors, even if Zhang Nuo did not take pills, he could still break through to the mid-stage realm in a short time. Furthermore, he had spent three years training in the Trial Ground; these precious experiences during that period were also indispensable for his rapid growth!

However, Zhuge Qing did not know all of this. Coupled with the subconscious influence of Zhang Nuo's "Sha Po Lang" destiny on her, she believed that Zhang Nuo was simply a cultivation genius.

"I'm no genius!"

With a bitter smile, Zhang Nuo shook his head and waved his hands repeatedly!

"You have just entered the mid-stage and still need to stabilize your cultivation, so I won't disturb you. I came to find you this time to tell you one thing!"

Seeing the young girl's mysterious air, Zhang Nuo frowned slightly.

"In another month, it will be the Tianjiang Trade Fair. I want to go with you!"

"Oh! So that's what it is! I know, but I already agreed with Chu Budong to go together before I went into closed-door cultivation!"

Zhang Nuo suddenly realized that this was the reason Zhuge Qing had come to find him. However, when the young girl heard that Chu Budong had already made plans with Zhang Nuo, her face instantly stiffened!

"You are not allowed to go with him! You are going with me!"

Like a child throwing a tantrum, Zhuge Qing glared at Zhang Nuo with slight anger.

"But I have already promised Brother Chu; it wouldn't be right to go back on my word!"

"You don't need to worry about Chu Budong! I will go tell him. In any case, if you don't accompany me a month from now, just wait and see how I deal with you later!"

After the young girl finished speaking, she turned around and left in a huff, leaving Zhang Nuo alone on the spot. A moment ago, Zhuge Qing had been as cute as a little lamb, but in the blink of an eye, she had turned into a little devil!

Zhang Nuo scratched his head, watching Zhuge Qing's back as she exited the gate in utter confusion, before turning around and returning to his room.

Sitting cross-legged on the bed, he ignored the previous matter and closed his eyes slightly. Feeling the Third Layer of the Shangqing Sword Art he had just cultivated, a hint of joy could not help but appear on his face.

"Silly boy! I think that little devil has set her sights on you!"

Chunyangzi said jokingly from inside the Sword Box.

"Senior, why must you tease me again? You know full well that she has an agenda in approaching me!"

Without even lifting his eyelids, Zhang Nuo sent a voice transmission back.

"Boy Zhang, you can actually make use of this point. Since she is good to you, you should be good to her as well. See if you can obtain anything useful from her?"

Zhang Nuo did not respond this time; he only let out a soft grunt through his nose and then focused entirely on his cultivation. Seeing that Zhang Nuo had no intention of paying him any mind, Chunyangzi had no choice but to drop the subject, and no more sounds came from the Sword Box.

In the blink of an eye, a month passed. Today was the day of the Tianjiang Trade Fair. It was Zhang Nuo's first time attending such a large-scale trade fair, so he had packed up early and was waiting for Zhuge Qing to come find him.

Sure enough, as time arrived, he heard Bai Xiu's voice coming from the courtyard.

"Young Sect Master!"

Zhang Nuo stood up and exited the room. He saw that Zhuge Qing looked especially beautiful today, dressed in a pale purple palace gown that was exceptionally pleasing to the eye. Her hair fell loosely over her fragrant shoulders, giving her an ethereal and otherworldly air. Especially beneath her fair, jade-like neck, her partially hidden bosom invited endless reverie.

Zhang Nuo stood at the doorway, dazed, and stared for a long time. It was only when Zhuge Qing felt embarrassed that he finally snapped out of it as if waking from a dream and walked up to her.

"Let's go!"

Zhuge Qing nodded, and followed by Zhang Nuo, they walked out of the gate. As the two walked along the streets of the Nanxuan Sect, both male and female disciples cast envious gazes their way!

Among them, several female cultivators stood to the side, whispering incessantly.

"It seems I have no hope this time! I heard that when the Young Sect Master came out of the Trial Ground, she was holding Zhang Nuo's hand! Now it seems they must be together!"

"What are you dreaming about? Even if it weren't for the Young Sect Master, it wouldn't be your turn! I am naturally beautiful and look like a celestial being; Zhang Nuo would definitely fancy me first!"

At this moment, the other female cultivators cast disdainful looks at these two! The two immediately shut their mouths! However, in secret, they continued to gesture at each other, as if arguing about who was prettier.

When Zhang Nuo and Zhuge Qing passed by the entrance of an alley, a pair of eyes in the depths of the alley was staring fixedly at them, especially at Zhang Nuo. Those eyes seemed as if they wanted to devour him, and a thick, murderous intent leaked out inadvertently.

Seeing that Zhang Nuo and his companion had already walked far away, this person stepped out of the alley. This person was none other than Yu Lei, but Yu Lei looked somewhat strange at this moment; his complexion was dark, and one arm was tucked into his sleeve, never once revealed. He walked in a hurried manner toward his own residence.

Today was the Tianjiang Trade Fair, and many cultivators in the sect had gone to purchase items, yet he actually had no intention of going!

After leaving the sect, Zhang Nuo tapped his Storage Bag and summoned the Wu Hook. After casting a few incantations, the Wu Hook transformed to about a zhang in size. Zhuge Qing stepped onto the Wu Hook, and the two flew together in the direction of the Tianjiang Trade Fair.

Along the way, the two chatted as if talking about the trade fair. Only then did Zhang Nuo learn that this trade fair not only featured cultivators selling items, but many shops also took this opportunity to hold auctions, where many exceptionally rare items would appear.

The Moonlight Wheel that Zhuge Qing used was something she had won at an auction held by a shop during the last Tianjiang Trade Fair! At that time, she had spent nearly one hundred thousand Low-grade Spirit Stones to snatch it up.

"Is there anything you want to buy this time? Tell me! I'll help you bid for it!"

Zhuge Qing stood behind Zhang Nuo, speaking with the air of someone wealthy and imposing.

"To be honest, this is my first time going to an auction, and I don't know what to buy!"

Zhang Nuo did not even turn his head, keeping his eyes fixed on the front.

"Anything you buy is fine!"

The young girl chuckled and said casually.

The Wu Hook left a faint cyan trail in the sky. Since entering the Foundation Establishment Mid-stage, Zhang Nuo felt that the Spiritual Qi in his body had become much more abundant, and the speed at which he piloted the Magic Treasure had also become much faster.

Following this logic, what would the effect be like if he reached the Foundation Establishment Late Stage? Thinking of this question, Zhang Nuo gave a bitter smile in his heart; it seemed he was being too impatient, having just entered the mid-stage and already thinking about the late stage.

In matters of cultivation, stability is always paramount! Haste makes waste! Dismissing the thought from his mind, Zhang Nuo warned himself deeply.

After flying for about half a day, he saw a dense crowd of cultivators appearing on the ground ahead, along with various buildings. Zhang Nuo stepped on the Wu Hook and immediately dove downward.

After landing, Zhang Nuo and Zhuge Qing walked into the Tianjiang Trade Fair.

The pedestrians on the street wore various attires; some wore only a pair of trousers, bare-chested, revealing sturdy muscles, while others wrapped themselves tightly, revealing only their eyes. There were even those wearing heavy armor, as if they were about to go to the battlefield to fight a war.

However, there was no lack of people who looked normal among them. Zhang Nuo's thoughts shifted slightly; it seemed that what Chu Budong had told him before was correct. The people at the trade fair were not just from the Four Great Sects on the Tianjiang Plain, but also from many other sects. Furthermore, the number of Loose Cultivators could not be underestimated.

Just as he walked into the interior of the trade fair, he saw that the streets on both sides were filled with stalls set up by cultivators; sweeping his Divine Sense over these people, he saw that most of their cultivation was around the Foundation Establishment Stage.

Zhang Nuo felt that his eyes were not enough to take it all in; one moment he looked at this stall, and the next he looked at another. Zhuge Qing was clearly someone who had seen the world; she did not pay much attention to the items on the small stalls at all, simply following Zhang Nuo's footsteps, going wherever the young man went!

In the blink of an eye, after making this round, Zhang Nuo was dazzled; only now did he truly realize that the little bit of knowledge he had about the Cultivation World was simply a drop in the ocean, not even worth mentioning.

The types of Talismans alone numbered in the thousands, and the varieties of various Pills were even more complex!

"Seen enough yet?"

With her hands behind her back, Zhuge Qing watched Zhang Nuo's face, which was filled with expressions of novelty, with her bright eyes.

"It really is an eye-opener! I never imagined there were so many things in the Cultivation World!"

After sighing with emotion, Zhang Nuo spoke incessantly.

"Since you've finished looking, let's go find a place to stay!"

Zhang Nuo was stunned! He did not understand what the young woman meant!

"Do you think the Tianjiang Trade Fair only lasts for this one day? It takes several days! If you don't find a place beforehand, do you want to be like those Loose Cultivators and sleep on the street?"

Zhuge Qing pouted, and after saying this with a helpless look, she walked ahead toward a small building not far away; only then did Zhang Nuo realize that the Tianjiang Trade Fair did not just last for one day!

He immediately quickened his pace and followed behind the young woman; before long, the two arrived at the entrance of the small building, which stood over seven stories tall and looked quite imposing.

The young woman did not even stop, walking straight into the small building; Zhang Nuo stood at the entrance for a long time before following her inside!