Royal Court Visitors

Are cultivators in the Human Domain this wild?

I thought the Northern Plains were supposed to be more open-minded, and the Human Domain was known for being refined, reserved, and bound by complex etiquette?

Wu Wang forced an awkward smile. The male cultivator beside him showed a hint of disappointment, but he kept his word and secretly slipped Wu Wang a small pouch of Jade Currency.

The Nine Wilds had various currencies in circulation. Most cultivators in the Human Domain consumed spiritual stones, and after they were discarded, they were uniformly processed into Jade Currency, which circulated both within and outside the Human Domain.

Generally speaking, among the currencies of the Nine Wilds, Human Domain Jade Coins held the highest value.

The Ore Coins of the Northern Plains were actually minted to imitate Human Domain Jade Coins, making them difficult to circulate. Clans mostly engaged in barter.

Wu Wang pocketed the small pouch of currency and gestured for them to proceed.

The male cultivator surnamed Ji waved his hand, stating he had long since achieved Grain Abstinence and did not consume Blood Food. Instead, he picked up his wine bowl and took several large gulps.

"Hah—Northern Plains wine really packs a punch."

Wu Wang asked in a gruff voice, "Are you from the Human Domain?"

"Indeed," the cultivator surnamed Ji cupped his hands and smiled, "This humble Taoist is Ji Mo. May I ask your honorable surname and given name, brother?"

"You guys really talk in such a formal way," Wu Wang grinned, "My name is Hou Di. I'm a hunter. It's not often I see humans from the Human Domain dressed like you."

"Brother Hou Di!"

Ji Mo cupped his hands again, ignoring the slightly disdainful glances cast his way, and said with a smile:

"May I ask which clan Brother Hou Di belongs to? To be frank, this humble Taoist has come to the Northern Plains this time to seek out the two main human clans here to discuss some important matters."

"I'm from the Great Wave Tribe!"

Wu Wang put on a 'joyful' expression and said with a smile, "Our clan is the foremost clan in the Northern Plains. Our Clan Leader is exceptionally hospitable. Let me share a little secret: if you praise our Young Master a few times, everything can be discussed!"

"What a coincidence! The Great Wave Tribe and the Bear Hug Tribe are precisely the ones we are looking for."

Ji Mo cupped his hands and immediately took out a bulging purse from his sleeve, saying gently:

"Could you possibly spare a few hours for Brother Hou Di? This humble Taoist has a Skyward Flight magic tool, so travel is quite swift.

Please be so kind as to lead us to the Great Wave Tribe's territory. These are some token gifts for Brother Hou, please accept them!"

"Oh, no, no, I can't. I have other matters."

Wu Wang repeatedly declined. "Didn't you already give me a pouch earlier? I can't help you find the Slim Waist of the Northern Plains, and I can't take you to our clan territory because I'm busy. It wouldn't be right to accept more favors from you."

Silence.

All the cultivators present, except for the woman in the straw hat and veil, turned to look.

A male cultivator sneered, "If Daoist Ji Mo is in a hurry, you can go find some pleasure on your own and wait for us to return."

Ji Mo gave Wu Wang a somewhat speechless look but maintained his composure, not showing any anger. He said with a smile:

"All fellow Daoists know that this humble Taoist enjoys beauty. Since I've come to the Northern Plains, naturally, I want to experience it.

However, leisure cannot interfere with important matters. I know what's more important."

Another female cultivator sighed, "The Ji family has produced many loyal and valiant individuals throughout the generations, who have made great contributions to the Human Domain. Why has it come to this in your generation, Daoist Ji, to tarnish the family's reputation?

Daoist Ji Mo, you should walk the righteous path and not stray. If you disregard propriety and shame, how can you live up to the teachings of the ancient sages?"

Ji Mo smiled and shook his head, cupping his hands towards the female cultivator. "Thank you for your concern, Daoist. This humble Taoist has always been unrestrained. My apologies, my apologies."

Wu Wang, seeing a fleeting look of loneliness in Ji Mo's eyes, felt a slight pang of… guilt. He had intentionally brought up the 'Slim Waist' earlier, wanting to embarrass the man, but he hadn't expected Ji Mo's position within their small group to be so awkward.

The female cultivator in the straw hat and veil, who had been quietly drinking tea, suddenly stood up.

As she spoke, her voice sounded like a mountain spring tinkling or a zither string being plucked. Her voice was clear and cold, her words like polished jade.

"Lingering here is useless. Let's first go to the Bear Hug Tribe to inquire about Senior Zuo Dong's disciple. If the Young Master of the Bear Hug Tribe has indeed bullied our Human Domain cultivators, we will naturally seek an explanation from them."

Her voice was so smooth.

The group of cultivators, including Ji Mo, all stood up. Without further words, they headed downstairs.

As Ji Mo was leaving, he gave Wu Wang a somewhat helpless look and said with a smile, "Thank you, brother, for the good wine."

"This… did I say too much…"

"Hahaha! It's fine! The conversation started because I asked, it has nothing to do with you, brother."

Ji Mo waved his hand, his folding fan suddenly unfurling with a pop. Laughing heartily, he strode away.

"The world loves beauty, seeking it for me; amidst the blooming flowers, only I am a lustful man."

Wu Wang: …

He couldn't quite pinpoint what was wrong, but he felt like the guy was just twisting words.

"Get down."

A sharp reprimand suddenly came from downstairs.

Wu Wang stood up and peered out, only to see the group of cultivators already standing on a giant sword. The female cultivator wearing a bamboo hat spoke, and Ji Mo obediently jumped down from the edge of the giant sword.

The female cultivator at the very front formed a sword finger, and the giant sword, accompanied by the gasps of admiration from the onlookers, slowly rose into the air. A layer of rosy light enveloped the giant sword as it shot off towards the northwest.

"Hey! Brother Ji!"

Wu Wang called out.

Ji Mo, standing on the street, shook his head and casually tossed out a lotus platform, stepping onto it with a flourish.

"Hahahaha!"

Ji Mo threw his head back and laughed again, immediately reciting a poem. He gently swayed his folding fan, leisurely chasing after them in the northwest direction.

"A graceful orchid blooms in the deep valley, Its beauty bestowed by heaven, serene and refined. Brows like jade feathers, skin like snow, Pitiable, for no one inquires after it."

With that, he drifted away, giving Wu Wang no chance to comfort him.

To be fair, this guy had a really thick skin.

But then…

You seem to be going the wrong way. My home is to the east.

Never mind, they couldn't hear him anyway.

Wu Wang chuckled to himself, sat there for a while longer, and looked into the eyes of the more than ten young women.

After confirming that the cultivators from the Human Domain had flown far away, he got up and left the place.

Before leaving the marketplace, Wu Wang casually spent the bag of jade coins he had, buying a large iron hammer and giving it to the old aunt as a gift.

He didn't directly tell Lin Suqing that True Man Zuo Dong had come looking for her, thinking it would be a surprise.

Wu Wang actually knew all along.

The departure of his junior disciples years ago had left a significant knot in Lin Suqing's heart.

The journey from the Northern Plains to the Human Domain was long. Without a Cloud Boat, crossing the sea would take three to five years. Lin Suqing had used this to console herself, believing that a letter from her sect should already be on its way.

This letter didn't need many words or pictures; just her name would suffice to show that the Clear Wind Gazing Moon Sect hadn't forgotten her.

—The old aunt had indeed said as much once when she was drunk.

Wu Wang hadn't expected True Man Zuo Dong to come looking for Lin Suqing personally.

Among the group of Human Domain cultivators, he had the best senses for this old Daoist.

"Suqing."

Wu Wang leaned back on the soft seat, wiping the residual marks left by the mask from his face, and smiled, "What do you think of me, your Young Master?"

"You're very good."

Lin Suqing couldn't help but sit up straighter, purse her lips, and look around evasively. "Young Master, I really like the iron hammer you gave me."

"Is that so?"

Wu Wang smiled, gazing at the eastern sky, now tinged with ink, and didn't say more.

Beside him, Lin Suqing… a few drops of cold sweat broke out on her forehead.

No way, did the Young Master go back to the marketplace specifically to investigate my taking kickbacks?

She had only taken two boxes of beauty creams, and the treasures she chose for the Young Master were all after comparing prices, finding the best quality and relatively lower prices!

She truly hadn't wronged the Young Master!

Lin Suqing's lips trembled slightly, and she quickly said, "Young Master, I..."

"Five years have flown by," Wu Wang said with a smile. "You can go back in another year. Do you miss home?"

Lin Suqing tilted her head and asked softly, "Can I not go?"

Wu Wang transmitted his voice, "I'll be going to the Human Domain soon."

"That's right, then I'll go to the Human Domain with the Young Master to forge my path."

Lin Suqing's eyes darted around, and she transmitted her voice, saying, "The Human Domain is so vast, with intricate powers and all sorts of rules. Without a good guide, it's easy to get ripped off."

"A guide is fine, but there's no pay."

Wu Wang narrowed his eyes and smiled, his mood becoming much happier. "This is your decision. Don't rush to a conclusion; give me your answer later."

The Young Master is a bit strange today.

Lin Suqing mumbled, but didn't think much of it.

Originally, Human Domain cultivators traveled by air, while Wu Wang and his group traveled on the ground by Giant Wolf. Even though the Giant Wolves were swift and the other party had taken the wrong road, it should have been the former who arrived at the Bear Hug Tribe's territory first.

But…

Wu Wang's convoy returned to the Royal Court, and they hadn't seen the group of cultivators.

He waited for half a day, a day, two days, three days in the Royal Court, but still no cultivators descended from the sky.

Had they changed their minds?

Perhaps it passed by the lair of some ancient fierce beast and was swallowed in one gulp?

That's right, fierce birds of prey like eagles often hunt in the skies of the Northern Plains. Perhaps the person is already gone.

The next time I saw the group of cultivators I met at the restaurant was five days after Wu Wang returned to the Royal Court...

A giant sword slowly descended from the sky, disturbing the Royal Court's defenses.

The Giant Wolf Riders were quickly deployed, anti-air siege crossbows were aimed, and emergency avoidance horns sounded everywhere. If Wu Wang hadn't given the order in time, they would have already lit the signal fires for reinforcements according to the 'Heavenly Blessing Response Protocol'.

As soon as the giant sword landed, a large number of Giant Wolf Riders surrounded the group with giant crossbows, leaving no room to maneuver.

The female cultivator in the conical hat at the front slightly turned her head and said, "Regarding this matter of getting lost, please do not speak of it further."

A group of cultivators nodded repeatedly, while Ji Mo, standing at the back, almost burst out laughing.

In front of the King's Tent, Wu Wang, who had dressed up meticulously, stood with his hands behind his back. Lin Suqing, standing behind him, had also changed into an ice-blue long dress. While it might not be enough to overshadow everyone in the Northern Plains, she definitely held a spot on the list of beautiful older maidens.

Wu Wang chuckled, "Suqing, do you recognize that old Daoist?"

Lin Suqing had been wondering why the Young Master had asked her to dress up so carefully these past few days. Hearing his words now, she scanned the bustling crowd and found the aged face.

"Master!"

Her jaw almost dropped in surprise. She immediately cried out in joy and was about to run over when she shouted to Wu Wang again:

"Can I go, Young Master? Can I go see my Master? That's my Master!"

"Go ahead."

Wu Wang urged her on. Seeing Lin Suqing about to run off, holding up her skirt, he called out to her again.

"Your skirt is getting dirty. Someone, carry her over."

Immediately, seven or eight guards brought over a beast-skin chair, had Lin Suqing sit on it, and then carried the chair at full speed.

Next was the touching reunion of master and disciple.

When Lin Suqing was carried outside the Royal Court, the Giant Wolf Riders, having received Wu Wang's orders, parted to the sides, creating a path for these Human Domain cultivators to wait.

Lin Suqing jumped down from the chair and couldn't help but shout loudly:

"Mas—ter—"

"Ah?"

True Man Zuo Dong heard the call, his eyes instantly welled up with tears. He took a few steps forward, then looked at the female cultivator rushing towards him with some suspicion.

"Fellow Daoist, are you calling me?"

Lin Suqing leaped in front of True Man Zuo Dong, wiping away her tears, and said joyfully, "Master, it's me!"

"You are Suqing?"

True Man Zuo Dong's eyes were filled with disbelief. He took out a painted scroll from his embrace and held it up to examine it closely.

"Suqing, your... your transformation is so drastic! Master almost didn't recognize you."

"Hehe, it's my Young... cough, it's Xiong Ba, he found me many heavenly materials and earthly treasures. Disciple has also taken pills refined from Xun Grass."

Lin Suqing twirled in front of her master, holding her skirt. Only after finishing did she notice the more than ten young men and women standing behind him, and she instantly became dignified, graceful, and profound.

"Master, has your illness been cured?"

"Thanks to you," True Man Zuo Dong said with deep emotion, "Master's illness has not only been cured, but my cultivation has also broken through to form a Golden Core. It was due to my seclusion that my schedule was delayed, and I only came to the Northern Plains to find you now. Master, I apologize, Suqing..."

"Suqing, bring your esteemed master in to catch up," Wu Wang's voice drifted from afar. Lin Suqing immediately said, "The person speaking is my Young Master. He gave us that Spirit Core. Master, let's go in."

Hearing this, True Man Zuo Dong glanced at the cultivators behind him and asked in a low voice, "Suqing, have you perhaps pledged yourself to him? Master came here precisely to bring you back to the Human Domain. If you have suffered any grievances, do not keep them to yourself."

Lin Suqing murmured, "I wish I could pledge myself..."

"What?"

"Uh, this, Master, you've misunderstood!"

Lin Suqing put her hands behind her back, cleared her throat, glanced at the cultivators, and said to her master:

"Our Young Master has lofty ambitions, a noble character, and is exceptionally upright and honorable, possessing the demeanor of a true gentleman. He kept this disciple in the Northern Plains simply because he is very curious about the Human Domain and asked this disciple to stay here for six years to recount my experiences of the Human Domain. This disciple has not suffered the slightest grievance these past few years. On the contrary, the Bear Hug Tribe has treated me with great respect. Master, the six-year period is not yet complete, so this disciple will not return with you. When this disciple fulfills the promise made back then, I will naturally return to the Clear Wind Gazing Moon Sect to reunite with you, Master, and my junior brothers and sisters for a period."

True Man Zuo Dong nodded continuously upon hearing this. Looking at his disciple's elegance before him, his eyes were filled only with relief.

Just then, a somewhat jarring voice came from the side:

"What kind of intoxicating potion did the Young Master of the Bear Hug Tribe give to Senior's disciple? After serving him for several years, has she forgotten where her roots lie? Does she still want to stay here?"

Lin Suqing's pretty face turned cold upon hearing this. She looked up at the male cultivator speaking, but immediately felt the pressure of his cultivation.

Endure it, I can't win.

True Man Zuo Dong's expression was a bit awkward, but he still turned to the male cultivator, cupped his hands, and said with a smile:

"Fellow Daoist, you jest. I am quite pleased that my disciple keeps her promises.

Furthermore, as my disciple said, that Young Master is not a jackal or a vicious leopard, but possesses the demeanor of a gentleman..."

The male cultivator shook his head, but didn't say much more, his expression tinged with mockery.

"Fellow Daoist Wang Lin."

Ji Mo, who was at the very back, suddenly spoke, drawing everyone's attention.

Ji Mo frowned, tapping his folded fan against his palm. After a moment of thought, he asked:

"Are you, perhaps, ill?"

Wang Lin's eyes widened, and he was momentarily unable to react.

Ji Mo, however, with a cold face, completely unlike his usual playful demeanor, berated the male cultivator:

"Have you forgotten why you came here? Don't you have any self-awareness?

You're asking for a favor, yet you're deliberately putting on airs. Are you the spy rumored to have infiltrated the Human Domain?

Hmph! If you can't speak properly, then shut up. If you delay the important business of this trip, your sect behind you won't be able to protect you."

After speaking, Ji Mo turned to Lin Suqing, his gaze open and honest. He cupped his hands in a bow and said, "This person is usually pampered and arrogant, and always looks down on others. I hope fellow Daoist will forgive his rude remarks."

Wang Lin angrily rebuked, "Ji Mo, you!"

Clang!

With a sword's hum, the woman wearing a bamboo hat flashed, appearing before Wang Lin. The edge of her long sword rested at his throat, just a hair's breadth away from piercing it.

"Shut up, and retreat a hundred miles."

Ji Mo, without looking back, smiled at Lin Suqing, "I wonder if fellow Daoist could introduce us to this Young Master?"

Lin Suqing forced a smile, her eyes still holding a trace of anger.

Before the Royal Court, Wu Wang looked at the crystal ball in his hand with great interest. He lightly tapped it, his gaze fixed on Wang Lin.

Closing his eyes, then opening them, Wu Wang's eyes were filled with a silvery-white light. He pointed at the crystal ball.

The crystal ball trembled slightly, and the group from the Human Domain instantly turned into wisps of smoke. To Wu Wang's slight surprise, the smoke from the woman wearing the bamboo hat was almost pure white, with hardly any distracting thoughts.

And Wang Lin, who had mocked Ji Mo from the wine house...

White mixed with black, black hiding blood. There was indeed something wrong.

Why is it 4,700 characters again... I can't control the word count, and the free period is so long, whimper