Firmament Sword

"Hey, you stinker, what are you thinking about?" Xie Yurou's voice cut through Xu Luo's daydream.

Xie Yurou eyed Xu Luo suspiciously and grumbled, "Looking at that wicked grin, you must be up to no good! Whatever. I'm in a bad mood today, so we're going drinking!"

"Still?" Xu Luo suddenly felt a headache coming on.

"Of course we are!" Xie Yurou took control of the warship. It carved a graceful arc through the sky, speeding toward the city.

Fortunately, this time Xie Yurou didn't just barrel through recklessly. Once they reached the city gates, she stored the warship away. The two of them then rented a horse-drawn carriage and rode into the city.

"Aren't you afraid of running into that guy again here?" Xu Luo asked, looking at Xie Yurou from across the carriage.

"It's not like he owns the city, is it? What do I have to be afraid of?" Xie Yurou sneered. "He can't get into the place we're going."

Xie Yurou then led Xu Luo to a grand compound. Its exterior was imposing, with high gates and a spacious courtyard. Two guardian Divine Beasts flanked the entrance, their prominent horns making them look exceptionally fierce.

Above the gate, a horizontal plaque bore three large, archaic words: Ancient Dao Pavilion!

Xu Luo looked up and felt that the three words on the plaque emanated a mystical aura of the Dao. A single glance was enough to captivate one's soul. Through those words, it was as if he could feel the immense breadth of spirit of the calligrapher.

"Only those at or above the level of a Direct Disciple can enter... It's a members-only establishment," Xie Yurou explained softly as she led Xu Luo inside.

Sure enough, the guards at the entrance bowed respectfully upon seeing Xie Yurou, their attitude one of utmost deference.

"He's my friend," Xie Yurou said, then turned to Xu Luo. "Every member is allowed to bring a guest."

Xu Luo nodded and followed her inside.

Once inside, Xu Luo found it was a world unto itself. The grounds were vast, filled with pavilions, waterside terraces, artificial mountains, and flowing streams. Quaint, ancient buildings were nestled amongst the lush greenery.

The air was filled with birdsong and the scent of flowers, making it feel as if they had stepped into a forest.

"Nice place, isn't it?" Xie Yurou asked Xu Luo with a grin.

In a nearby pavilion, two people were engrossed in a board game. Several young men and women stood behind them—all the men handsome, all the women beautiful.

Upon spotting Xie Yurou, they all gave a slight nod of acknowledgment.

When their eyes fell on Xu Luo, however, they were visibly taken aback. A few of them recognized him immediately, but they didn't say anything. One even offered Xu Luo a faint, friendly smile.

Xu Luo returned the nod before following Xie Yurou deeper into the pavilion grounds.

The moment they were out of earshot, the group began to buzz with discussion.

Anyone who could enter this place was of high status; they were all Direct Disciples of Celestial Brilliance's various Elders. They were quite curious about Luo Tian, the Senior Brother Medicine Garden who had recently become famous throughout Celestial Brilliance.

"Is that Luo Tian? He seems rather calm, not at all like the arrogant and domineering figure the rumors make him out to be."

"Heh, and he's with Xie Yurou. I never would have guessed. Could they be...?"

"Unlikely. While Luo Tian's status is high—he's even been acknowledged by the Medicine King Ring, giving him a rank equal to the Sect Leader—he has no backing or heritage. Compared to a Heritage Clan like the Xie Family... the gap is just too vast."

"True. They're probably just friends."

"The disparity is too great. There's no way it could work between them!"

"I heard Xie Yurou's warship nearly caused an accident in the city just now. Wang Xu of the Wang Family even gave chase."

"Wang Xu got what he deserved. The fool has no eye for quality; he had no idea how powerful Xie Yurou's warship was and still dared to pursue it. It'd be a miracle if he *didn't* get taught a lesson!"

This group of true Advanced Disciples of Celestial Brilliance was remarkably well-informed. They already knew what had just happened, and in great detail at that.

"Do you come here often?" Xu Luo asked curiously, noticing how she navigated the place with practiced ease.

"I do. Cultivation is arduous and lonely, and there aren't many good places to unwind, so I come here to relax," Xie Yurou said. "Speaking of which, that last trip to Baihua City was the most fun I've had. I got to see so many new things."

As she spoke, she glanced pointedly at Xu Luo, but his expression remained placid, showing no sign of recognition. 'This stinking rascal,' Xie Yurou grumbled inwardly, 'he's so sly! Not a single tell. I'm almost certain that person was you!'

Lost in thought, Xie Yurou led Xu Luo to a small building.

The building was quaint and elegant. Though not large, it was beautiful, with an antique charm and a unique appeal. Every detail was exquisite.

"This is the dining hall in the Ancient Dao Pavilion. It's filled with all sorts of delicacies. I guarantee you'll be drooling when you see them!" Xie Yurou said with a grin as she stepped inside.

The interior was just as refined, with each private room exquisitely appointed. The moment they entered, a young woman with a dignified air and a warm smile approached them. Seeing Xie Yurou, she greeted her with a smile, "Ah, Miss Xie, you've arrived. Please, come in!"

She then offered Xu Luo a small smile, as pleasant and refreshing as a spring breeze.

"The usual spot, the usual order," Xie Yurou told the woman before leading Xu Luo directly up to a private room on the second floor.

The woman left to make the arrangements, gently closing the door behind her.

A short while later, an array of exquisite dishes arrived, their rich aromas filling the room. The food itself pulsed with waves of powerful Spiritual Power.

"This is..." Xu Luo was a little taken aback. He didn't recognize most of the ingredients, but he could tell from the waves of Spiritual Power they radiated that they were far from ordinary.

"Go on, you can eat!" Xie Yurou picked up her chopsticks and plucked a mushroom. "This is a Fire Spirit Mushroom. It has to mature underground for one hundred and thirty years before it sprouts. An hour after it breaks through the soil, its cap opens, and once that happens, it loses its spiritual essence and flavor. So... it's considered quite a rarity."

"That precious?" Xu Luo quickly snatched a piece with his chopsticks and popped it into his mouth. An exquisite, savory flavor exploded on his tongue. "Delicious!" he exclaimed.

"Of course it's delicious. A single Fire Spirit Mushroom is worth one Upper-grade Immortal Spirit Stone," Xie Yurou said nonchalantly, eating with a cute grace.

"What?" Xu Luo's eyes went wide as he stared at her in astonishment. "This one little piece... costs an entire Upper-grade Immortal Spirit Stone?"

"Well, yeah. Think about it—it takes a hundred and thirty years to grow and has to be harvested within an hour of sprouting, or it's ruined. It makes sense that it would be a little pricey," Xie Yurou said, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

"It might contain a fair amount of Spiritual Power, but it's nothing compared to a whole Upper-grade Immortal Spirit Stone!" Xu Luo sighed. "I guess the world of the wealthy isn't something a poor man like me can ever hope to understand."

"Oh, that's enough out of you. I already told you I'm in a bad mood and want to drink, so don't you go making it worse," Xie Yurou said, rolling her eyes.

"This is a Dragon Scale Silverfish. They only live in frigid streams deep in the mountains, and their flavor is exquisite! Dragon Scale Silverfish are incredibly timid and will bolt at the slightest disturbance, so... they're extremely difficult to catch. Their value... is even higher. A single one costs at least two to three Upper-grade Immortal Spirit Stones!"

"And that's if you can even find one for sale," Xie Yurou added. "Besides its delicious taste, the Dragon Scale Silverfish has another, very special property..."

As she spoke, a faint blush crept onto her cheeks, and she trailed off.

Xu Luo looked at her, confused. "What property?"

"You've really never heard of it?" Xie Yurou watched him, her gaze scrutinizing.

"Never," Xu Luo admitted with an honest nod.

"Well... it's... ugh, it's good for men, you know..." Xie Yurou's cheeks were crimson as she looked away shyly.

Understanding dawned on Xu Luo. He glanced at the hand he was extending toward the Dragon Scale Silverfish, and the corner of his mouth twitched. Nevertheless, he nonchalantly picked one up.

He took a bite. The flavor was indeed incomparably tender, the fish melting in his mouth. A ball of heat quickly spread through his lower abdomen.

"This is an Eight Treasures Chicken. It lives on uninhabited grasslands, and eating its meat can enhance your physique."

"This is a Black Tiger Flood Dragon, a beast with the head of a tiger and the body of a flood dragon. They are savage and extremely aggressive, attacking any creature that enters their territory. Their meat contains a miraculous element that enhances one's resistance to poison!"

"This is a leopard-striped spearfish, best eaten raw. Consuming it can increase one's Spiritual Power."

"This is..."

As Xie Yurou introduced the dishes one by one, Xu Luo felt as though his horizons were being broadened with every word.

Every single dish was a rare treasure. For the later ones, Xie Yurou didn't even bother mentioning their value, because these ingredients... simply couldn't be bought with money!

This was one of the reasons why the Ancient Dao Pavilion only granted access to the Inner Sect Disciples of Celestial Brilliance. Even if you were as wealthy as a king, getting your hands on these ingredients out in the world... was next to impossible!

Xie Yurou only took a delicate taste of each dish, but Xu Luo devoured them with gusto, like a whirlwind sweeping through.

Xie Yurou, meanwhile, sipped her fine wine. The vintages at the Ancient Dao Pavilion were also extraordinary, aged for at least a century. The aroma alone was intoxicatingly mellow.

They drank together, and after several rounds, Xie Yurou's bright eyes sparkled as she suddenly looked at Xu Luo and asked, "That person... it really wasn't you?"

"Of course it wasn't." Xu Luo appeared slightly tipsy, but his mind was perfectly clear. He knew exactly what she was asking, but he couldn't admit to it.

'There's Su Qianqian in Celestial Brilliance and Qiqi and the others back in the Lower Realm.' Xu Luo didn't want to get involved with any more women.

"Fine. If you say it wasn't, then it wasn't," Xie Yurou said, tilting her head back and draining her cup.

Just then, a flurry of hurried footsteps sounded from outside. The door to their private room was then shoved open with considerable force.

A group of uninvited guests barged in.

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