Whoosh. Whoosh. Whoosh. Meng Chuan, Meng Dajiang, Liu Yebai, and Yan Jin jumped off the bird.
“Arrange accommodation for them,” calmly instructed the long-browed elder as he remained sitting on the bird.
“Yes,” the members of the Wu State Guild Hall replied respectfully.
“Liu Yebai.” The long-browed elder looked at Liu Yebai and said indifferently, “After your daughter goes up the mountain, she cannot leave the mountain except for special reasons before she becomes a Godfiend. You can communicate through letters. If there’s anything urgent, you can come to the mountain to look for your daughter.”
“Understood.” Liu Yebai smiled as he looked at his daughter, Liu Qiyue—who was on the bird’s back. He instructed, “Qiyue, cultivate well in Archean Mountain. If anything happens, write to me. I will be staying in Wu State Guild Hall for the next few months.”
“Yes, I’ll write to you.” Liu Qiyue was also very reluctant to part with her father. She turned to look at Meng Chuan. “Ah Chuan, I’ll write to you too.”
Meng Chuan smiled and nodded.
“This girl.” Liu Yebai smiled and shook his head.
“Let’s go.” The long-browed elder gently patted the enormous black bird. It flew into the air, bringing the long-browed elder and Liu Qiyue towards the legendary Archean Mountain.
“Archean Mountain.” Meng Chuan and the others looked into the distance. Inside Archean City, they could see the massive mountain range that towered into the clouds. It was where the Godfiends of Archean City cultivated.
“Sirs,” one of the stewards of Wu State Guild Hall said with a smile. “Now that the guild hall is relatively empty, do you plan on getting a room each or stay together?”
Meng Dajiang said, “My son—Meng Chuan—and I will live together, while Young Master Yan Jin and Brother Liu will have individual rooms.”
“Three rooms? Sure, the guild hall is huge. Feel free to choose,” said the steward with a smile. “Towards the end of the year, many geniuses from Wu State will come to participate in the entrance examination. There will be plenty of people then.”
Not just anyone could stay at Wu State Guild Hall.
Only geniuses participating in the Archean Mountain entrance examination and high officials sent by Wu State were qualified to stay here. Unauthorized people were not allowed to enter.
Meng Chuan and company simply chose three small courtyards near the guild hall.
...
In a small courtyard, Meng Dajiang placed everything he brought along with him into their room. “From today onwards, we’ll stay here.” He smiled as he looked at the room. “It’s pretty good here, clean too.”
“Dad, I’ll choose the room next door,” Meng Chuan said.
“Hurry up and get some sleep. There’s still quite some time before daybreak.” Meng Dajiang laughed as well. Although he maintained his fat appearance, his face was pale. After all, he had expended a lot of his sanguine aura. He was currently relying on a secret technique to maintain his body size, so he needed to eat and rest more.
Meng Chuan nodded and went to his room. The room was decorated simply. There was a bed and a study table by the window. Beside it was a bookshelf with some books.
As Meng Chuan lay on the bed and stared at the moon through the window, he felt a potpourri of emotions. He had experienced too much today, and the impact on his psyche was deep.
...
At dawn, Meng Dajiang warmly called for Yan Jin and Liu Yebai—who were both situated next to them. “Come come, let’s eat breakfast together.”
“It’s quite a sumptuous spread,” Liu Yebai praised as he looked at the breakfast table in the courtyard.
“I got the people from the guild hall to send breakfast here. Let’s eat together,” said Meng Dajiang. “This quantity is enough to fill our stomachs.”
Yan Jin nodded as well. He sat beside Meng Chuan and started eating. Meng Chuan ate some porridge and buns.
“There are meat buns, white steamed buns, and huge pancakes,” cried out Meng Dajiang enthusiastically. He drank the porridge and ate the pancakes rather slowly as though he wasn’t in a rush.
“What do the two of you plan on doing today?” Liu Yebai was in a good mood. He smiled and asked, “Do you want to head out and take in the sights of Archean City?”
Meng Chuan said, “I looked at the Archean City map on my bookshelf after I woke up. It’s too big. There are many places that offer shopping and entertainment. I doubt one can explore the entire city in months. I’d rather cultivate at the guild hall.”
“I’ll also cultivate at the guild hall,” Yan Jin said.
“Alright, alright, you guys cultivate. The two of us will go out for a walk,” Liu Yebai said with a smile.
Soon, both Meng Chuan and Yan Jin were full. At that moment, Meng Dajiang began to eat faster. He gobbled down the buns and slurped down the pot of porridge that had been warmed up.
Yan Jin’s eyelids twitched when he saw this. He couldn’t help but glance at Meng Chuan. Meng Chuan didn’t eat much, but his father could really eat!
“I don’t like to waste food.” Meng Dajiang chuckled as he stood up. “Both of you cultivate well. We’ll be heading out.”
Liu Yebai left the courtyard together with him. The two of them leisurely strolled around Wu State Guild Hall. The guild hall was huge, and the views were beautiful.
“You didn’t have your fill, am I right?” Liu Yebai teased Meng Dajiang.
“The battle with the demons yesterday consumed too much of my sanguine aura. I need to replenish it by eating,” said Meng Dajiang. “Let’s find a place to eat. We’ll get an entire pig and goat.”
“Sure.” Liu Yebai nodded.
“Right, regarding the awakening of the phoenix bloodline in Qiyue, I’m afraid the Liu family has learned about it,” said Meng Dajiang.
“Humph, I have been avoiding them all these years, but things are different now. My daughter has awakened a phoenix bloodline and even entered Archean Mountain. What am I to fear now?” Liu Yebai scoffed. “Even if the Liu family knows about it, they have to come and beg me obediently.”
“Are you planning on going back?” Meng Dajiang asked.
“Unless they return Elephant Goat Mountain to my lineage, I will not go back unless I die.” Liu Yebai’s face had a hint of disdain. “They will say all kinds of nice things and beg me, but when it comes to returning Elephant Goat Mountain? Impossible. Only when my daughter is conferred the title of marquis will the Liu family truly bow their heads. They will even obediently offer Elephant Goat Mountain on a platter.”
“Marquis-conferment?” Meng Dajiang nodded slightly. “That will be very difficult.”
It was very difficult.
A marquis was one of the most powerful figures in the Wu State. An expert with a Phoenix Divine Body would bring greater levels of intimidation! The Liu family would most likely be willing to invite Liu Qiyue to be the leader of the family clan then.
“Let’s not talk about these irritating matters. Let’s head out and get some food for you.” Liu Yebai said.
...
In the Wu State Guild Hall, Meng Chuan cultivated like usual. However, without the guards and servants to assist him, he was only able to train his Saber Drawing Stance alone.
Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!
The aqueous saber slashed across the sky, but it did not cause any shockwaves. At his level, air resistance was no longer a problem due to the influence of the Heaven and Earth powers.
He executed his saber techniques over and over again.
In the past, Meng Chuan needed guards to fire arrows at him. Firstly, it was to hone his accuracy, and secondly, it was to ensure that he was getting faster with every strike.
But, Meng Chuan now discovered that his training wasn’t greatly affected even without his guards’ help.
His hundred-foot perception domain was able to casually lock onto a speck of dust that floated in the air! He could then cleave it. He would be able to train his accuracy using this method. Unfortunately—although the dust particles were small—they moved too slowly, making it not too difficult.
As for the variation of his saber art speed? That was no longer a concern. With his perception domain, the speed of each strike was very precise, allowing him to judge his striking speed clearly.
As a result, without any guards, he only suffered a slight drop in efficiency. He could still hone his accuracy and speed.
He ate lunch with Yan Jin. As for Meng Dajiang and Liu Yebai, they didn’t return from their gallivanting.
After his cultivation ended, Meng Chuan used the well water from the courtyard to wash himself. After changing clothes, he sat at the desk in the room and started to draw.
Meng Chuan had gotten the guild hall’s staff to buy the materials needed for painting early in the morning. Naturally, he paid for it.
Eastcalm Prefecture.
As he looked at the snow-white canvas, his heart was filled with thoughts of his hometown—Eastcalm Prefecture. He held the brush in his hand, but he hesitated.
He felt a lot more stifled. From the demon invasion yesterday morning until now, everything he had experienced touched something deep within him.
He had experienced it once when he was a six-year-old child. He only had the role of a fugitive then. Now at the age of eighteen, he had participated in the battle at Eastcalm Prefecture. His feelings were completely different.
As he was deep in thought, the intense emotions in him burst out. Ignoring everything else, he started painting.