Chapter 143: Eroding March Pavilion


    <span style="font-weight:400">A shadowy figure sat on a vantage point that overlooked a beautifulndscape. Their eyes were shut as they tightly held onto a talisman. Whatever they were doing was draining stamina as sweat began to build up on their brows as time passed.


    <span style="font-weight:400">They remainedpletely still even when a sparrow flew onto their shoulder. The bird made itselffortable and chirped to its heart’s content. Like that, time flowed, with the winds bustling and sounds of life from the forest giving off a vibrant atmosphere.


    <span style="font-weight:400">After some time, the figure finally opened their eyes. Eyes were called the windows of the soul for a reason, because right now, they fully disyed the shadowy figure’s anger. As if able to sense the human’s emotions, the bird swiftly darted away.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Despite the person’s anger, they still moved in a calm manner, slowly taking out a purple jade from within their robes.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Master,” the figure let out a distorted voice. “I have an update.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">It took a full ten minutes before the figure received a response.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Speak.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“The n failed. Someone from Nightmoon Valley intervened.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“...Have you been discovered?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“No, I made sure to erase any traces.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Then it’s fine. No big deal, bute back anyway to be safe. I’ll send someone else to take over.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">The mysterious disciple hesitated for a split second, wanting to overturn his master’s order, but his rationality won out.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Understood.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">cing the jade away, the figure finally stood up. He was on top of a thick tree branch that was a few stories above ground. He gave one final nce toward a distant ck Skyrunner before sighing to himself.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Nightmoon Valley,” the figure muttered hatefully. “I thought they only acted when injustices urred, not normal engagements with Qi beasts. They’re making our people soft. What they are doing is harmful to the Luminescent realm!”


    <hr>


    <span style="font-weight:400">Back in the airspace near Prity City, a ck Skyrunner made steady progress toward the city. Various other vehicles flew past them as they cruised.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Thank you for saving us again. You’re even giving us a ride. I don’t know what to say,” Gui Hong politely said.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“You don’t need to say anything. You’ve said your thanks like five times already. I don’t need any more of your thanks,” Sima Xue cried out, evidently annoyed.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Now, now. Let’s get along,” Li Lang mediated. “It’s not long before we arrive.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Umm, is there a reason why we’re moving so slow?” the only other girl in the Skyrunner sheepishly asked.


    <span style="font-weight:400">The words provoked an immediate response from her fellow disciple.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Ning Fei, these people are our benefactors! What are you doingining to them?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Still…We could reach the city within a few minutes if we sped up.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“You can’t be so—”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Stop right there guys,” Li Lang interjected himself again. “I asked Sima Xue to slow us down so we can have some time to chat. If you’re in a hurry, then I apologize. We’ll stop dying right away.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">The two disciples from Eroding March Pavilion exchanged looks. Throughmunicating with only their gaze, Ning Fei relinquished the decision-making power to her fellow disciple.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“We’re happy to follow your arrangement,” Gui Hong happily dered. “I’d love to get to know more about the famous youngdy from Nightmoon Valley and herpanions.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Sima Xue only spared him a disinterested nce before bringing her full attention back to operating the Skyrunner.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Wei Ping didn’t let that stifle the mood and jumped on the question train.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“So, y-you said you guys were f-from the Eroding March Pavilion, you say? Isn’t that where Gui Tianzi is from?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“That’s right. He’s my cousin,” Gui Hong replied with a shy smile.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Then y-you must also be as talented as him.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Senior Gui Tianzi is so much more amazing!” Ning Fei jumped to talk answer. “Not only is he humble, having kept a low profile throughout the years, he’s unchanged even now. He still treats us the same as he used to, even people like us who have only just reached the seventh stage. That’s prettymendable considering how everyone in the realm now recognizes his talents after the pocket realm.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">From her gaze alone, it was easy to tell how enamored she was with him. It was what Wei Ping loved to see. People ran their mouths about things they were passionate about. Her talking without being urged made intel gathering easy.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“I s-see. Well, his humbleness is n-not surprising, considering y-your pavilion’s reputation.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Yea…” the girl smiled with a tinge of red coloring her cheeks. “As you may have heard, our techniques are not the most…elegant. We like to keep to ourselves.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Wei Ping didn’t press any further into their organization’s techniques. It wasn’t a secret in the past, and definitelymon knowledge now. With the rise of a new genius that supersedes Sima Xue, Tang Yulian, and Liang Po, everyone in the Luminescent realm had heard of Gui Tianzi and the organization he hailed from by now.


    <span style="font-weight:400">They were well known for using various insects and invertebrates as their familiars. It gave others the image of grotesque possibilities. While many imed not to fear death, few had the same tune when told their death would be subjected to being eaten alive by numerous insects from the inside out. Their gruesome techniques were why everyone steered clear of them until now.


    <span style="font-weight:400">As they grew closer to the city, the two parties got more and more familiar with each other. The only exception was Sima Xue, who abstained from the conversation and was entirely focused on driving. However, the journey was so short that no hostility was felt.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Once theynded outside Prity City, the Eroding March Pavilion duo swiftly departed.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Thank you guys so much for your help. We’ll be sure to pay you back once we get the chance.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang’s group watched them pass through the city gates as they prepared to enter themselves.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Should we head in too, now?” Li Lang directed a questioning look at Sima Xue. She was the reason they were standing there, as the group waited for her to drive the Skyrunner into the city.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Why did you offer them to ride along with us?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“What? We already saved them, and their Skyrunner was damaged. Isn’t it the right thing to do to give them a lift? I mean, it was just for a short while.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Them being so close was exactly why we should’ve just left them be. Their Skyrunner was damaged, but still working. Even if they didn’t want to risk it, they could’ve made it here by foot before night fell.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Like we said before deciding to help them, we wanted to make a connection with them. What better way than having a cordial chat?”


    <span style="font-weight:400">“That should’ve taken ce another time, within the city. Li Lang, you need to take safety into consideration. Allowing others to get so close to you is dangerous. Even if my cultivation is higher than theirs, it’s hard to say what kind of items they carried in their space ring.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang frowned at her words. Upon reflection, he found her words to be true. Talismans that were an entire grade ahead of a cultivator’s strength could not be activated, but there were other treasures in the world that didn’t have that limitation. Artifacts were the obvious ones. Even he could control Ruby and the Crucible somewhat due to cooperation with the artifact spirit. There was also the possibility of something akin to a bomb.


    <span style="font-weight:400">The existence of a space ring made transporting dangerous items especially easy.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Sorry, I should’ve consulted with you more.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Seeing how sincere his apology was, Sima Xue sighed.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“It’s fine. It’s not your fault. It wasn’t that big of a deal or else I would’ve stopped you. These are things I learned over the years with my master, so I shouldn’t keep you to the same standards. Just know that Nightmoon Valley’s protocol on this is there for good reason. We’re known to stick ourselves into other’s business within the Luminescent realm. That means we’re experienced enough to know how to deal with people.”


    <span style="font-weight:400">Li Lang took a brief nce back at the reaction of his two male friends to check if they were enjoying his lecture. He found their gaze wandering around, not wanting to be part of the ongoing conversation.


    <em><span style="font-weight:400">These traitors. It’s Long Yi’s idea originally to get involved and I have to suffer for it.</em>


    <span style="font-weight:400">Before Li Lang could sulk, Sima Xue finally steered the Skyrunner forward. The now-turned carriage made its way to the city gates and was immediately greeted by a guard.


    <span style="font-weight:400">“Friends from Nightmoon Valley, please feel free to enter straight away,” a guard politely gestured for them to walk on through, cutting ahead of the line.


    <span style="font-weight:400">Seeing this preferential treatment, no one in the party corrected the guard and proceeded as instructed.


    <span style="font-weight:400">The onlookers in the line watched on quietly as they allowed them to pass. Li Lang spied a person handing over a red Qi crystal as an entry fee when he arrived at the front.


    <em><span style="font-weight:400">Hmm, it should be ten spirit stones per month. A red crystal is a hundred stones, so the price differs. Probably based on the cultivation level. I guess there are downsides to everything, after all.</em>


    <span style="font-weight:400">Those idle thoughts were quickly shelved as the group entered the city proper. The streets were bustling with numerous cultivators wandering about. One thing immediately stood out to Li Lang, that left him stunned.