"A jet plane?"
The first thought that flashed through Wang Yu's mind was that name everyone on Blue Star knew, and his thoughts grew somewhat muddled.
Had the iron boat not looked so archaic, with a figure standing at its bow who vaguely resembled the Fallen Moon Daoist of the Four Fiends of Misty Mountain, he might have thought Blue Star had already opened a passage between the two worlds and sent advanced aircraft to invade this other world ahead of time.
"The Purple Cloud Miasma really can confuse the Four Fiends of Misty Mountain's spiritual sense. Now we can travel with peace of mind." Beside him, Yin Linglong watched the iron boat fly away without pausing. She patted her soft chest twice, her lovely face filled with delight.
"With this Purple Cloud Miasma shielding us, we should indeed have a scare but come through safely this time. But was the Fallen Moon Daoist piloting one of those standard-model Mechanism Flying Boats you mentioned? It seemed rather different from Elder Cui's spirit boat, and different from our self-propelled boat too." Wang Yu looked in the direction the iron boat had gone and let out a long breath before asking her.
"Of course it was different. Creations like Mechanism Self-Propelled Boats and Mechanism Self-Propelled Carriages are merely the lowest-end standardized product lines manufactured by the Heavenly Craft Sect. They're mainly aimed at rogue cultivators with few spirit stones in their purses and the wealthiest mortals.
"But Mechanism Flying Boats are different. Although they're also a standardized product line offered by the Heavenly Craft Sect, they already qualify as magical artifacts. Their materials are cheap, they offer little protection, and they don't have many spirit inscriptions engraved on them. They also consume an astonishing number of spirit stones, but in terms of flight speed alone, they're already a match for some low-grade flying magical artifacts made by artifact refiners.
"Moreover, Mechanism Flying Boats are cheap and plentiful, generally costing only half as much as a low-grade spirit boat. If one breaks, you only need to visit a Heavenly Craft Sect shop and replace a few mechanical components to use it again. They're very popular among low-level immortal cultivators." Yin Linglong was no longer surprised by her future husband's "ignorance" and patiently gave him another "educational briefing."
"This Heavenly Craft Sect sounds impressive. Is it in the Wu Kingdom?" A thoughtful expression appeared on Wang Yu's face as he asked another question.
"I don't know. No one knows where the Heavenly Craft Sect's headquarters are, just as no one knows where the Hundred Treasures Pavilion's main pavilion is. Both suddenly appeared in the cultivation worlds of various countries several hundred years ago, then rapidly recruited local cultivators and established branch shops and pavilions throughout the provinces and prefectures.
"The major sects all tacitly accept their presence rather than driving them out. That's why I suspect both have at least someone on the level of a Golden Core Ancestor behind them. Otherwise, those cultivation sects wouldn't be so accommodating," Yin Linglong said, shaking her head.
"I see. If they really have Golden Core Ancestors presiding over them, that does make all the difference. Linglong, have you ever seen a Golden Core Ancestor in person, up close?" The mention of Golden Core visibly stirred Wang Yu, and he could not help asking with a hint of longing.
"Figures like Golden Core Ancestors are pillars that steady the seas, even within cultivation sects. I doubt even ordinary sect disciples can easily meet them.
"If our Yin Household's Foundation Establishment ancestor were still alive, I might have had a chance to pay my respects to one. But how could I possibly have such an opportunity now?
"All I hope for now is that someone from the Yin Household can enter a sect. That would secure another few decades of peace and protection for us." A bitter smile touched Yin Linglong's lips, and her words were full of frustration.
"What, is the Yin Household in trouble now?" Wang Yu picked up on something in her words and could not help pressing her.
"I wouldn't quite call it trouble. It's just that because the Yin Household once produced a Foundation Establishment cultivator, our lineage possesses a Sect Token and is considered a vassal lineage of the sect.
"But a family Command Token only grants a hundred years of protection from the sect. If none of our descendants reaches Foundation Establishment or joins the sect within that century, the Command Token will be taken back. We’ll no longer be recognized by the sect and will become rogue cultivators instead." After a moment’s hesitation, Yin Linglong explained slowly.
"So when you first offered to have me marry into your household and recommend me to the sect, you really just wanted to preserve the Yin Household's Sect Token." Wang Yu frowned at her words, his tone turning somewhat unfriendly.
"Hmph, yes. If you hadn't awakened your bloodline and weren't still young, why would I have treated you so well from the start and immediately offered to marry you? Do you really think I, Yin Linglong, can't find a suitable husband and am fretting over being left unmarried?
"If you've changed your mind now, I can take back the Yin Household keepsake you're holding, and we can forget this whole matter."
Yin Linglong gave a soft snort, her face somewhat pale.
"Why would I change my mind? This is clearly a win for both sides. I get to join a sect and gain a beautiful wife, while your Yin Household gains protection." Wang Yu suddenly laughed, looking entirely unconcerned.
"It's best if you can see it that way. But rest assured, although someone whose physical bloodline has awakened can't compare with someone with two spirit roots or a superior spirit root, they're still comparable to someone with a variant spirit root.
"Besides, the sect protecting our Yin Household is the Four Symbols Sect, which specializes in the Beast Taming Art. As long as you can form three spirit roots or one middle-grade spirit root, you should have a very good chance of being accepted.
"I, Yin Linglong, swear that even if you fail the Four Symbols Sect's entrance test, you will still be my husband. Marry a rooster, follow the rooster; marry a dog, follow the dog. My decision will never change because of that. Otherwise, may ten thousand swords pierce my heart, and may Heaven strike me dead with thunder!" Yin Linglong's expression eased somewhat, but at the end, she suddenly pointed toward the sky and spoke with ironclad conviction.
Wang Yu was moved by the sight. He could not help stepping forward and taking her slender hand, then said with feeling:
"Since that's how you feel, Linglong, I won't change my mind either. Why don't we bow to Heaven right now, with Heaven and Earth as our matchmakers, and become husband and wife in truth? Then we can spend a wonderful night together right away. What do you say?"
"Y-you... what nonsense are you thinking? How old are you? This is the age when you should be focusing on cultivation. Even if we truly marry, we'll have to wait at least two or three years, until you're an adult and your vital essence and blood have fully stabilized, before you can think about marital relations." Yin Linglong's face instantly flushed scarlet. She hastily pulled her delicate hand out of Wang Yu's grasp and spoke with a slight stammer.
"So I don't get even a little sweetness, and we'll be husband and wife in name only for the first two years?" Wang Yu's eyes widened, and he made no attempt to hide his disappointment.
"Rather than spending your time on such filthy thoughts, you'd be better off cultivating more and forming your spirit roots sooner. Then I can bring you back to the Yin Household as soon as possible and contact the Four Symbols Sect ahead of time.
"I need to start circulating my cultivation art now too, to recover some dharma power. This Mechanism Self-Propelled Boat is so cramped, and we're the only two aboard. The rest of the journey along the Redwater River won't be easy either. We should both be extra careful."
Yin Linglong chided him, then stopped paying attention to the youth. She sat cross-legged in the boat and began regulating her breathing and circulating her cultivation art.
Seeing this, Wang Yu could only sit cross-legged as well, resigned. He took a small bottle from his clothes and tipped a drop of Spirit-Gathering Liquid onto the space between his brows. Then he began circulating the second level of the Yin Water Art, regulating his breathing as he cultivated.
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