Liu Yu chatted with Wu Chang with a smile, paying little mind to how much truth there was in his words.
Once they left the sect, subduing four outer disciples would be child's play with his strength at the pinnacle of the Qi Refining Period. When the time came, they would have no choice but to obey!
If anyone dared to stick his neck out, Liu Yu could make an example of him and show them the gulf between their strengths, saving them from entertaining any unruly ideas.
An hour quickly passed amid their intermittent conversation. Before dawn, all four of Liu Yu's fellow disciples had arrived.
Aside from Wu Chang, there were two men and one woman.
The two men were named Zhou Guibo and Xie Huaxiong, both at the sixth layer of Qi Refining. The woman was Sun Ju, an ordinary-looking woman of unremarkable beauty at the Qi Refining fifth layer.
The three late arrivals all wore outer disciples' attire and looked fairly unremarkable. Their appearance and clothing revealed little, and since Liu Yu had only just met them, what he knew about them was very limited.
All three politely greeted Liu Yu first, then introduced themselves to one another before going together to the General Affairs Hall to register and collect a year's stipend.
The three noticed that Wu Chang was relatively close to Liu Yu. As they walked, they chatted amiably, drawing closer to one another, whether deliberately or otherwise. They seemed inclined to band together, subtly excluding Wu Chang despite his also being an outer disciple.
Liu Yu saw through all of this as clearly as a blazing fire. He noticed that although the three were pleased to receive a year's stipend, none was particularly excited.
That made sense. Anyone who could secure a garrison assignment at a time like this was bound to have a few tricks up their sleeve. Sixty spirit stones were a fortune to an ordinary outer disciple, but to these people, they were nothing extraordinary.
The three emerged from the General Affairs Hall and nodded to Liu Yu.
"Senior Brother Liu, we're all ready. We can leave now."
Liu Yu was about to speak when an immense spiritual pressure suddenly descended from the sky. He involuntarily staggered back two or three steps, his expression turning ugly. It was many times greater than the pressure he had once felt from Yan Hongyu-as vast a difference as that between a little lake and the mighty Yellow River.
Liu Yu abruptly looked up, his pupils involuntarily contracting.
What greeted his eyes was a gigantic yellow gourd, dozens of zhang long and seven or eight zhang wide. Its imposing presence was staggering, the sight magnificent enough to rob anyone of the will to resist.
A treasure!
The word surfaced in Liu Yu's mind.
Treasures were objects that only cultivators at the Golden Core Stage or above could wield. Those below that stage lacked the magical power to activate them. Their might far surpassed that of magical artifacts; the gulf between the two was beyond measure. A powerful treasure could take someone's head from a hundred li away, and crushing mountains and sundering peaks was nothing extraordinary. Once refined, it could also be stored in the dantian and nurtured with magical power to increase its might.
A man hovered above the gourd treasure-a middle-aged man of about forty in a blue-green robe. He floated in midair without the aid of any magical artifact, his hair and beard stirring despite the absence of wind.
Cries of astonishment rose across the square, which grew noisy. Many were seeing a treasure for the first time, throwing the crowd into a stir.
Magical artifacts can generally only expand to a few zhang, yet treasures easily reach dozens of zhang. Their power probably differs by more than tenfold!
As Liu Yu gazed at the gigantic gourd suspended in the sky, he could not help longing for such power. He also noticed the blue-robed man hovering above it and guessed that he was probably one of the sect's Golden Core elders.
"To think even Elder Li has been dispatched. Has the fighting at the Spirit Stone Mine already grown that fierce?"
Beside him, Wu Chang murmured to himself, a trace of relief appearing on his face toward the end.
Hearing his muttering, Liu Yu turned toward him and asked, "Junior Brother Wu, just who is this Elder Li?"
"Elder Li's full name is Li Changfeng. He was already a towering figure before forming his core. While still in the Foundation Establishment Realm, he defeated Xiang Huaqiang, an outstanding disciple of the Crescent Moon Valley ranked third among the Crescent Moon Four Swords. He shattered the man's Dao heart so thoroughly that he still hasn't dared attempt core formation. That victory made Elder Li famous throughout the Chu Kingdom's cultivation world and greatly enhanced our Primordial Yang Sect's prestige!"
Wu Chang was naturally happy to clear up Liu Yu's doubts and answered immediately. Zhou Guibo, Xie Huaxiong, and Sun Ju also heard his explanation. Understanding dawned on them, and their gazes toward Elder Li filled with admiration and yearning.
Liu Yu nodded slightly, giving Wu Chang a meaningful look. He had not expected him to know even such information about an elder. Clearly, he was more than an ordinary outer disciple.
"Hmph."
A cold snort came from above, exploding beside the ears of the many disciples in the square. Their heads throbbed, drawing cries of pain.
Fortunately, Elder Li only intended to warn them. Had he truly attacked, their heads would likely have burst like watermelons, snuffing out their lives.
By now, the cultivators heading out as reinforcements had recognized the treasure for what it was and realized that a Golden Core elder stood before them in the sky. They all fell silent, not daring to act out of line.
A Foundation Establishment steward riding a magical artifact barked coldly from the air:
"Disciples assigned to reinforce the Spirit Stone Mine, form up immediately and follow me aboard the treasure! Do not disrupt the order. Violators will be punished without mercy!"
The disciples in the square dared not delay. They quickly quieted down and arranged themselves in several rows.
The Foundation Establishment steward then bowed to Elder Li and said with a broad smile:
"Reporting to Martial Uncle Li, all disciples assigned to the mission at the Spirit Stone Mine are present. Please lower your treasure!"
Elder Li swept an indifferent glance over the disciples, who had swiftly formed neat ranks, then lightly landed on the head of the yellow gourd. The gourd slowly descended, finally stopping three zhang above the ground.
More than a hundred disciples boarded the gourd treasure one by one in orderly fashion. Once everyone was aboard, a yellow barrier appeared over its surface, enveloping the entire gourd.
The gourd treasure then shot into the sky, reaching the horizon in the blink of an eye. Its speed far exceeded anything a Qi Refining cultivator could imagine.
The five withdrew their gazes. Naturally, their assignment to garrison Cold Moon City did not entitle them to transport aboard a treasure.
Has the situation already reached the point where Golden Core cultivators have to intervene? It seems a medium-sized Spirit Stone Vein involves far more than I imagined.
Liu Yu gathered his thoughts and swept his gaze over the four. His eyes sharpened as he said, "Let's go."
Before his words had faded, he took out the Golden Dragon Sword and enlarged it to a zhang in length. Taking the lead, he flew out of the Primordial Yang Sect in a dazzling streak of golden light.
With his current status as an Inner Disciple at the seventh layer of Qi Refining, he could securely retain a superior-grade magical artifact without fearing others would covet it. Displaying some of his strength would instead intimidate the others and suppress any ill intentions.
Wu Chang showed no reaction when Liu Yu brought out his superior-grade magical artifact. He merely took out his own yellow flying sword, a middle-grade magical artifact, and followed closely behind.
Senior Brother Liu possesses a superior-grade magical artifact. His strength far exceeds that of an ordinary Qi Refining cultivator!
The remaining three exchanged glances, seeing surprise and awe in one another's eyes. They felt both pleased and worried.
They were pleased that the group's overall strength had increased, giving them greater assurance of safety. What worried them was that Senior Brother Liu's strength far exceeded everyone else's. When the time came, the entire group might become a hall where his voice alone held sway.
Various thoughts flashed through their minds, but this was no time for conversation. They could only take out their own magical artifacts and follow closely behind.
Thus, with Liu Yu and Wu Chang in front and Zhou Guibo and the other two behind, the five left the Primordial Yang Sect one after another.
Thanks to the readers Wandering Through Cultivation, The Little House Chasing the Stars, Eastern Rain and Dark Mountains, Chenghai Muzi, Moonlight over Clear Ripples, Don't Know What to Call Myself, projectivelp, Muxixi, Admiring Rain and Mist, 20170121170909780, Fengfeng Feifei, An Unforgotten Thought, Graceful Figure, May the World Treat You Gently pi, Star Grass and Timely Rain, Radish Coconut, Love Left and the Wind Stilled, Hunan Warlord, and others for their recommendation votes!
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I've hit a bit of writer's block, brothers, so there will only be one chapter today...