Is it really that strong?
Chen Ye came out only after thoroughly cleaning and deodorizing...
But, thinking about it carefully, it’s only natural.
"Of course, when refining zombie puppets, how can there not be a strong smell? Qiuyun, as a female cultivator, you better avoid it."
Chen Ye exaggeratedly gestured with his hand, his glance unintentionally shifted to Li Qiuyun’s Taoist robe.
He couldn’t help but wonder what material this girl’s robe was, as it was obviously a loose style, yet it was still puffed up by her impressive figure.
Li Qiuyun looked at him skeptically, but in the end, she was deterred by that indistinct "corpse qi."
She scooted over to the window and muttered softly, "Uncle Chen, your hobby is truly unique. This cultivator’s refined zombie puppet is useless... Why not refine demon beasts?"
Chen Ye shook his head, "Late-stage Qi cultivation creatures are not found everywhere. Let’s start by refining this for practice."
"You’re right... Once Uncle Chen learns, teach Qiuyun too! Lingyin Sect and Ten Thousand Puppet Sect are arch-enemies, to know your enemy and yourself is the way to win countless battles!"
Hearing the seriousness in the girl’s voice, Chen Ye felt slightly uncomfortable.
He cleared his throat and said seriously, "Uh, if there’s a chance in the future, I’ll teach Qiuyun how to refine zombie puppets... But this method is tedious and obscure; you may not want to continue learning then."
The girl heard this and couldn’t help crossing her arms angrily.
She was already voluptuous, and now with her arms crossed, her chest was even more exaggeratedly pressed.
She gave Chen Ye a sidelong glance, "Uncle Chen, don’t underestimate Qiuyun! I’m not a fickle person; I might have a talent for it!"
Alright.
Chen Ye glanced sideways at the girl’s impressive figure and silently looked away.
Indeed, she has a talent.
The journey for the next two days was spent in such an occasionally light-hearted, occasionally eerie atmosphere.
Chen Ye spent most of his time behind the partition "studying" zombie puppets, but in reality, he was seizing every moment to improve his mastery of the Hundred Refining Technique.
[Hundred Refining Technique Minor Achievement: 21/100]
Two days of sleepless effort barely increased his mastery by twenty points.
But fortunately, he had already refined the zombie puppet to the Eleventh Refinement, further enhancing its physical strength.
However, there was still a long way to go before crafting a decent zombie puppet.
After all, to forge a powerful zombie puppet, it’s not just about refining with spiritual power; one also needs various treasures of heaven and earth or magical artifacts for enhancement.
While Li Qiuyun mostly stayed quietly on the other side of the partition meditating, she would occasionally exchange a few words with Chen Ye over the partition about the customs of Moon Rhinoceros Lake Market or some not-so-secret stories about the Ji Family and the Xu Family.
She also sensed Chen Ye’s wariness of Ji Yueze, revealing more information about this person in her words.
It turns out that Ji Yueze was known in the Lingyin Sect’s Outer Sect for his deep scheming and vengefulness.
His cultivation talent was not bad; had he not defected, he would’ve entered the Inner Sect long ago.
Moreover, he was good at currying favor and willing to spend a lot to win over people, thus making many connections within the sect.
"This person is indeed troublesome." Listening to this, Chen Ye’s wariness of Ji Yueze increased several folds.
...
The carriage finally slowly entered the vicinity of Moon Rhinoceros Lake Market.
Even before entering the market, one could feel the bustling atmosphere that was vastly different from Yunxi District.
The official road was wide and smooth, with a continuous stream of carriages, among which were many luxurious vehicles ornate with exotic beasts.
The roadsides were lined with shops, inns, and tea houses, their voices of hawking and bargaining unending.
"Uncle Chen, this is Moon Rhinoceros Lake Market."
Li Qiuyun lifted the curtain, pointing at the grand market built on the vast lake, with a tone full of pride.
Being a cultivator born and raised in Moon Rhinoceros Lake Market, she naturally held a special affection for her hometown.
Chen Ye, following her finger direction, was equally astonished.
The size of Moon Rhinoceros Lake Market was several times bigger than Yunxi District.
The entire market was built around the lake, with pavilions, terraces, and towers intricately arranged on the shoreline and several huge islands in the lake.
They were connected by long bridges adorned with carved railings and precious stones, reflecting the fairy-tale scenery on the water.
"No wonder it’s one of the three major markets in Guang’an County," Chen Ye praised.
"Uh... actually, there are only three markets in Guang’an County: Peach Mountain District, Moon Rhinoceros Lake District, and Changhe District," Li Qiuyun cautiously reminded.
Upon hearing this, Chen Ye couldn’t help but smile.
Sometimes, this girl was really adorable in her honesty.
The carriage entered the market, and its bustling scene left Chen Ye dazzled.
However, although Moon Rhinoceros Lake was lively, its order was far from that of Yunxi District.
Chen Ye frequently saw people fighting on the streets.
When the two arrived at the Lingyin Sect’s station in Moon Rhinoceros Lake Market and returned the carriage.
Chen Ye initially wanted to go to the Herb Pavilion right away, but Li Qiuyun stopped him.
"Uncle Chen, let’s find an inn to stay first. After all, we’ve been on the road for days; it’s better to rest well before heading to the Herb Pavilion."
Li Qiuyun suddenly blinked and smiled, suggesting,
"There’s an inn nearby called Lake Heart Cottage. Not only is the environment quiet, but the flow of information is also good. Many cultivators like to gather there to exchange intelligence... Uncle Chen, you didn’t come to Moon Rhinoceros Lake Market just for the task, right?"
The two had been together for several months.
Li Qiuyun understood Chen Ye’s character, knowing that he wouldn’t leave his disciple alone in the sect just for those rewards.
And that stay would last a full month!
Moreover, guarding the Herb Pavilion would earn only about twenty or thirty contribution points. Given Uncle Chen’s skills, how could he value such meager rewards?