Chapter 63: Unhappy
This time, Yan Yuqing has gone out and recruited five disciples, a very fruitful harvest. His tower is spacious enough, providing ample rooms for his disciples. In other words, Su Tingyun suddenly gains five new neighbors. She’d able to wave and greet the people across from her, as she stands by her window on the second floor.
Of course, in the world of cultivation, probably no one would make such casual gestures.
Like Su Tingyun, the five disciples pay their respects to the Sect Leader, the Elders, and the various Uncles. They also exchanged greetings with Su Tingyun. The Ren brothers, except for Ren Er with his smiling and cheerful demeanor, the other two seem to have received the true teachings of their master, maintaining expressionless faces throughout, like three stone men.
Moreover, the trio’s faces are so ordinary, that people would easily forget them, giving Su Tingyun a feeling she can’t quite grasp. In any case, she can’t even differentiate between Ren Yi and Ren San.
Clearly, the two of them look completely different.
After completing the ceremony of paying respects to their masters, Su Tingyun and her group prepare to head to the Trial Island. Since Su Tingyun is waiting for Third Uncle to finish forging two iron balls, they are delayed, while the Sect Leader and Little Uncle have already left. The remaining group consists of Third Uncle, their master, and Su Tingyun. As for Xiao Budian, his cultivation is not high enough to go up the Soaring Dragon Pillar, and they can’t just leave him alone on the small island while they journey to the Trial Island. Therefore, he will remain in the Obliteration Sword Tower, getting acquainted with the surroundings alongside his new junior brother and sister.
The iron balls are quickly forged, with Third Uncle working swiftly and even designing various styles by stringing together larger and smaller ones. Once done, Su Tingyun, along with Third Uncle and Master, heads to the Heaven Firmament Peak on Mount Wuliang. To conserve spiritual beasts, both of them wait outside.
After Su Tingyun tosses the iron balls down, she leaves reluctantly. She promises to an Orchid Tongue Grass that she will return every month to deliver flower wreaths and iron balls. In case she is in seclusion or has urgent matters preventing her from coming, she assures that someone else will bring them.
Even if she can’t bring Big Bai out right now, she wants to use this method to tell it, ’I will accompany you, so you’re not alone.’
Below the Sealed Heaven Border, the flower wreath on Big Bai’s head is already in a sorry state. Despite its careful protection using spiritual energy, the flower wreath has been ravaged by the astral winds, and no longer look beautiful. Whenever it’s free, it crouches down where the flower wreath fell, tilting its head back to gaze at the top.
Due to the seal, it can’t see the cliff or the sky. Above its head is just an impenetrable gray. But now, it holds a lot more anticipation.
“Chirp!”
Something fell.
Dead bodies? Not interested. Big Bai disdainfully spits out something, corroding away the corpse that was pushed down the cliff after being killed, making it disappear into thin air before reaching the ground.
“Chirp, chirp, chirp!”
Iron balls are falling, many of them!
Its body turns large and flat, like a blanket. It jumps into the air to catch all the iron balls of various sizes inside. After collecting them, its body returns to its original shape. The surface of its round body bulges with several big and small bumps, if it takes one into itself on one side, a different ball would pop out on its the other side.
It’s not that its stomach can’t hold them all; Big Bai just finds it amusing. Even though its memories have returned, and Big Bai understands a lot, it still feels like it has never had so much fun before. At least, this is much more enjoyable than killing.
When will she fall down? Big Bai occasionally wonders, but it’s no longer the naive Big Bai from before; it’s just a passing thought.
Having something to play with is good enough. Big Bai takes out the largest iron ball, uses its head to push it, and rolls it far away, crushing a patch of Orchid Tongue Grass.
Third Uncle’s iron balls are sturdy and quite heavy. A large area of Orchid Tongue Grasses are flattened, but after a moment, they resiliently lift their soft leaves. Suddenly, the other uninjured Orchid Tongue Grasses collectively sway, emitting a multitude of discontented and noisy sounds.
Orchid Tongue Grass: ” Ji ji, gu gu, ji ji, gu gu…”
Big Bai: “Chirp!”
…
When Su Tingyun and the others arrive at the Trial Island, the Soaring Dragon Pillar has already disappeared, which means they have to wait another day.
“I heard that the spiritual energy is denser up there,” says the Foundation Establishment cultivator hired by Little Uncle, his face beaming with a smile, eagerly anticipating entering the Immortal Palace in the skies through the Soaring Dragon Pillar.
Someone nearby throws cold water on his excitement, “It’s dense in some places, but not everywhere. The good spots are already taken by those strong cultivators. The inferior places are worse than ordinary Immortal Caves. When you get thrown down, you need to be careful. If you accidentally get involved with those malicious cultivators from the Demonic Path, even if they can’t kill you due to the rules, they might still make you suffer.”
The person who spoke initially has his smile suddenly go stiff, and mutters, “No wonder they still have to pay us spirit stones.”
If that weren’t the case, would they still need to hire these wandering cultivators? These scattered practitioners would surely be the ones fighting desperately to squeeze in, and spend money to secure a spot.
Cultivators’ spiritual energy can support the formation. They can rest and meditate directly on the small island overnight, while everyone sits cross-legged, waiting for the Soaring Dragon Pillar to rise the next day. However, trouble finds its way to them in just half an hour.
“Obliteration Sword Tower? So, this is Obliteration Sword Tower!” The cultivator speaking has handsome features, wearing a crescent white, embroidered black robe. He has a long sword at his waist, exuding an air of nobility.
“That’s right, Brother Yuan Hong. Is everyone from Obliteration Sword Tower here? To enter the Immortal Palace, not only do they have everyone in the sect mobilize, but they also need to find people externally.”
After this sword cultivator, Brother Yuan Hong, finishes speaking, behind him is a different cultivator with a sword on his back, who immediately elaborates while wearing a sycophantic smile on his face.
“But it is what it is.” After Yuan Hong finishes speaking, several sword cultivators behind him nod simultaneously, and one female cultivator among them says, “Master does hold the Obliteration Sword Tower in high regard.”
“Master holds the Old Obliteration Sword Tower in high regard, not this current one,” another person remarks. “Look at them now. What do they look like?”
They don’t even wear the sect disciples’ uniforms, they’re dressed in coarse linen clothes, some even in straw shoes that reveal their toes. It’s a mess, and the highest cultivation level among them is only at the Golden Core stage.
Listening to their mockery of her sect, Su Tingyun feels uncomfortable, but seeing that the Sect Master and Uncles are indifferent, she suppresses her anger and closes her eyes, focusing on meditation and cultivation.
After the group of sword cultivators lands on another nearby island, they summon various magical treasures for relaxation, making the small island look like a palace. Some female cultivators set up beautiful soft couches, and there’s even someone who brings out a large bed with canopy curtains.
“Humph, showing off!” Ren Er starts complaining.
His voice is not low, and since they are all cultivators, several even at the Golden Core stage, they naturally hear Ren Er’s words. Suddenly, someone directly slashes with a sword, attempting to split their island into two.
Little Uncle Yan Yuqing immediately draws his sword. In a flash of cold light, the opposing sword energy is shattered by a single stroke from Yan Yuqing, and the force of his sword continues, targeting the conspicuously displayed large bed.
Inside the bed, there is a man and a woman, not engaged in anything, just meditating.
Yuan Hong suddenly opens his eyes, and the hand holding his sword is sweaty. As a sword cultivator representing the Mingjian Sect, evading the situation might be easy, but doing so would tarnish the reputation of Mingjian Sect. However, if he doesn’t dodge, he won’t be able to catch the sword in time, and he also doesn’t have the time to do so.
The female cultivator next to him immediately activates her spiritual energy. The canopy, driven by a strong gust, loses its soft and ethereal quality. As it rises, it becomes as rigid as iron, blocking the sword energy with tremendous force. With a crisp sound, like piercing through paper, the sword energy effortlessly cuts through the obstructing canopy. However, the moment it reaches Yuan Hong’s brows, it quietly disappears.
Yuan Hong clenches his fists hard, his gaze fixed on Yan Yuqing, who drew that sword. Although both are in the Golden Core stage, Yuan Hong knows from just this one blow that he is not a match for the other.
As the two sides seem about to clash, Yuan Hong raises his hand to stop them. He withdraws his gaze, his face dark, and says, “Now is not the time to take action.”
…
Yan Yuqing establishes his prowess with a sword, earning a mental thumbs-up from Su Tingyun.
She feels that her Little Uncle’s sword technique seems even more formidable than her Master’s. Is this the power of the Killing sword? Indeed, he is a big and strong man who’s been singlehandedly raising an entire Sect of unreliable middle-and-old-aged people, he’s extremely valiant.
Bai Su, sitting on the side, rubs his forehead, raising an eyebrow as he glances at Ren Yi.
Ren Yi feels uneasy inside, thinking, “This is bad; My Lord must be annoyed with him again for causing trouble.”
“How about discreetly destroying that Mingjian Tower? What say you, brother?” he telepathically communicates to Ren Jia.
Ren Jia: “Haha.”
At noon on the second day, the Dragon Pillars rise again from the water’s surface. Each water column is managed by a group of cultivators. After registering with the Obliteration Sword Tower, they are finally allowed to enter.
Su Tingyun and her group enter the water column, feeling a powerful force lifting them into the air. Before long, they could see the floating city in the sky.
Amidst the swirling clouds and mist, the Immortal Palace looms.
The city spans thousands of acres, suspended in the air. However, none of it can be seen from below. Even if one flies into the sky, one wouldn’t see a trace of it. Only through the Soaring Dragon Pillars can one encounter the place.
Among the recruited individuals, there are those who have been here before, and now they eagerly explain, “We’ve landed right at the main entrance of the Immortal Palace. The spiritual energy here is extremely rich. We should to take a few more breaths while others haven’t arrived yet. Today, luck is on our side.”
Unless someone has extraordinary innate talent, like those with a Heavenly Spirit Physique who can absorb spiritual energy from the heavens and earth at any time, others must activate their cultivation techniques to absorb it. So, the idea of taking a few more breaths, as this person suggests, is just a joke.
But he actually takes a couple of deep breaths, leaving people bemused.
As for Xiao Mei’s Profound Yin Physique, it is said to also be able absorb spiritual energy directly from the surroundings, but somewhat inferior to the Heavenly Spirit Body. Unfortunately, thinking about Xiao Mei brings a heavy feeling to Su Tingyun’s heart. Where can she get a Ninth Grade Pill to help Xiao Mei?
“So this is the Immortal Palace. I wonder what secrets it holds. Fifth Senior Brother, you excel in formations, can you discern anything?”
Zhan Yu’s Fifth Senior Brother is also at the Foundation Establishment stage. After being asked, he carefully observes for a moment. However, before he can make any conclusions, someone directly suppresses them with their divine sense and shouts, “You want to occupy this place for cultivation even with your meagre strength!? Hurry and step aside!”
The one reprimanding is at the Golden Core stage, judging by the attire, likely from a major sect.
Su Tingyun’s consciousness is relatively strong, so she hasn’t suffered any harm at the moment. However, her eyelids keep twitching, and her mood is a bit gloomy.
The competition for resources in this Immortal Palace has begun as soon as they landed. If the sect isn’t powerful, it seems they’ll be bullied wherever they go…
Bai Su feels a slight headache coming on.
He must have lost his mind. Secretly joining the Obliteration Sword Tower and diving into the lake’s depths to uncover the truth—what’s the point of tagging along with them for all this commotion?
No matter where he goes, people would point fingers and curse at him. This feeling is just too uncomfortable.
Was it because he got confused when he felt the touch that night, felt something familiar, and wanted to see what’s going on? Or was it the Orchid Tongue Grass annoying him that made him need something to distract himself?
Regardless, Bai Su is currently very unhappy.
He raises his hand and gently pats Ren Yi’s shoulder.
NOTE: Chapters 43-65 are still being Retranslated (as they seem to be deleted by the previous translator/s), so please bear with the missing chapters. For those who have read those, the normal releases are now up to chapter 134+ on Patreon.
Happy Daoist 
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