Who Let Him Cultivate?! (WX)-Chapter 824: Either You Come Back, Or I Go Over

“Big Senior Sister, we’re back!” Upon returning to the sect, Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou immediately reported their safe return to Yun Zhi—primarily, to report the Innate Daoist Priest’s safety and prove they had completed the task Yun Zhi assigned.

“You returned ten days later than I anticipated. Did something unexpected happen along the way?” Yun Zhi was slightly puzzled. I heard from Shifu that the matter with the Founding Ancestor had been clarified with the Ye City authorities, and that the Founding Ancestor had been released long ago.

Why has it taken Little Junior Brother and Junior Brother Meng another ten days to escort the Founding Ancestor safely back to the Dao-Seeking Sect?

Lu Yang was too embarrassed to say that while the Innate Daoist Priest had indeed been released, the two of them had not.

“Y-yes, something unexpected happened along the way.”

Yun Zhi nodded, not dwelling further on the matter. In any case, encountering something unexpected along the way is quite in line with Little Junior Brother’s luck.

“You came back just in time. Senior Immortal Fairy, could you please come out for a moment?”

“What’s up?” The Everlasting Immortal Fairy popped her head out, resting on Lu Yang’s shoulder and making it appear as if he had two heads.

Yun Zhi opened a wooden box. Inside lay a green peach with a small branch still attached. It resembled a flawless piece of art more than a fruit. “Immortal Fairy, is this peach the fruit of the World Natural Spiritual Root you mentioned, the one that has the shape of a peach tree?”

The Everlasting Immortal Fairy was astonished to see the peach. “You actually found it! I thought it would take at least eight hundred or a thousand years to locate it.”

“What is this thing?” Meng Jingzhou whispered. Judging by Lu Yang’s expression, he figured Lu Yang knew some inside information.

“It’s considered a top-tier natural treasure. You know His Majesty has only a few years left to live. Big Senior Sister asked the Immortal Fairy if there were any lifespan-extending methods. The Immortal Fairy mentioned that in ancient times, there was a peach tree that was a world spirit root. The peaches it bore were innate longevity-enhancing treasures that could save His Majesty’s life.”

“Such a thing exists?” Even Meng Jingzhou, who was backed by the Meng Family, had never heard of such a treasure existing in the world. “So, His Majesty can be saved?” Meng Jingzhou was delighted. Although the First Imperial Prince could make a qualified emperor, it’s best to avoid a succession if possible, lest the political situation become tumultuous.

“The item is correct, but it probably isn’t ripe yet, right?” The Everlasting Immortal Fairy recalled that ripe peaches were pink.

“This is what I believed as well.” Having received confirmation, Yun Zhi closed the box. The peach hadn’t been fully plucked; the nutrients in the branch were sufficient to let the peach ripen. They would wait for the peach to ripen before delivering it to the imperial city.

“Speaking of which, where did you find the World Natural Spiritual Root?” the Everlasting Immortal Fairy asked curiously.

Hearing this question, Yun Zhi’s expression faltered momentarily, flickering with a hint of discomfort. She hadn’t expected the World Natural Spiritual Root to be in the peach grove in her hometown. No wonder the spirit energy there was abnormally abundant. It seems it wasn’t solely due to the Mother-Child River.

“I discovered it by chance. That peach tree had already run away.”

“Alright.” The Everlasting Immortal Fairy felt somewhat regretful. The World Natural Spiritual Root growing legs and running off wasn’t a first-time occurrence.

“And one more thing, Junior Brother Meng. This is a family letter sent to you. They also requested me to relay that they hope you can make a trip home.”

“Asking me to go home again.” Meng Jingzhou rolled his eyes. Given all the trouble I’ve stirred up, I don’t believe Dad can forgive me.

As long as Dad doesn’t say he forgives me, I absolutely won’t return home!

Meng Jingzhou opened the envelope and scanned its contents. The more he read, the paler his face became, and his hands even trembled.

“What’s wrong?” Lu Yang asked.

“The letter says that if I still don’t return home, my dad will personally make a trip to the Dao-Seeking Sect.”

Lu Yang, “...”

Rather than getting beaten up at the Dao-Seeking Sect, I suggest you go home and get beaten up there.

“Big Senior Sister, can we prohibit my dad from entering the Dao-Seeking Sect?”

Yun Zhi shook her head. “Our Dao-Seeking Sect doesn’t prohibit family members from entering to visit disciples.”

Meng Jingzhou agonized over it, scratching his head guiltily. It looks like I have no choice but to go back.

“Old Lu, you come back with me. With an outsider present, my dad probably won’t beat me up too badly.”

“Will that work?”

“It definitely will. My dad admires you so much that he even wanted you to marry my younger sister. He’ll surely give you face.” Although I don’t know whether it’ll work out, I’ll just drag Old Lu along first.

“Really?” Lu Yang couldn’t help but feel that Meng Jingzhou’s words weren’t trustworthy.

“Why would I lie to you?”

Lu Yang said seriously, “Considering how I often trick you, it would be quite normal for you to trick me a couple of times.”

“How can you say that with such self-righteous confidence? Just say whether you’re going or not.”

“I’ll go.” Given the rare opportunity to visit the imperial city, Lu Yang naturally wanted to go.

The last time he went to the imperial city was when he served as the acting sect leader. He had directly headed to the imperial palace to meet the Xia Emperor and the other four immortal sect leaders, so he hadn’t seen what it looked like beyond the palace walls.

Calling the imperial city a “cultivation holy land” was no exaggeration. It was a vibrant scene with cultivators of all backgrounds gathered here—the most powerful cultivators in the world, the most skilled artifact-refiners, the most adept pill-concocters were all in the imperial... No, wait, they all seem to be in the Dao-Seeking Sect.

“Should the two of us disguise ourselves?”

“What for?”

“Look, you’re from the Meng Family, I’m the Taciturn Daoist Priest’s disciple, and the two of us are going to the imperial city together. I’m worried that we’ll get intercepted before we even get through the city gates.”

The two exchanged a glance, silently taking out their masks and transforming their appearances.

The old horse had long since returned from visiting relatives in the East Sea and was back in the Dao-Seeking Sect. Upon hearing that Meng Jingzhou was returning to the imperial city, he was also elated.

But he soon realized something was amiss. Meng Jingzhou returning alone is fine, but why is Lu Yang tagging along?

Nothing will happen in the imperial city, right...?

The old horse chuckled at himself, thinking he was overreacting. How could that be? That’s the impregnable imperial city, teeming with formidable experts. How could anything happen there?

“Yay! Let’s go to the imperial city, overthrow the Xia Emperor, and establish the Great Dou Dynasty!” The Everlasting Immortal Fairy was also thrilled to hear they were going to the imperial city.

To celebrate the imminent founding of the Great Dou Dynasty, the Everlasting Immortal Fairy had shed her prison garb, washed up, and changed her clothes, donning a bright yellow imperial robe and an imperial crown with tassel beads. Her small face was tense, striving to appear dignified and solemn.

With a sweep of her hand, she removed the prison cage from the mental space, replacing it with a palace hall constructed from immortal stones. She sat regally upon the throne, as if she were seated high above the nine heavens, gazing down upon her sole subject—Lu Yang.

Lu Yang felt that even Gou Jian, who slept on firewood and tasted bitter gall,[1] hadn’t risen as swiftly as the Everlasting Immortal Fairy.

“Your subject, Lu Yang, pays respects to Your Majesty.”

“Say ‘Exalted Majesty,’” the Everlasting Immortal Fairy commanded.

Lu Yang was very compliant, correcting himself. “Exalted Majesty Lu Yang pays respects to Your Majesty.”

“Somehow, I feel like something should be embroidered on the robe,” the Everlasting Immortal Fairy mumbled. But embroidering dragons, phoenixes, qilins, or whatnot won’t reflect my true status. Little Ling, Lianyi, and the Qilin Immortal combined aren’t a match for me. Embroidering them on the imperial robe would degrade its value.

“Second-in-Command, what do you think should be embroidered on this immortal’s imperial robe?” The founding Dou Emperor inquired of her Chief Eunuch, Lu Yang.

“Your Majesty, imperial robes have always been embroidered with images of the strongest,” Lu Yang reminded.

Realization dawned upon the Everlasting Immortal Fairy. She immediately began embroidering the imperial robe with her mind.

“Done.”

Lu Yang looked and saw that the imperial robe was embroidered with images of the Everlasting Immortal Fairy herself and Yun Zhi.

1. The story of King Gou Jian of Yue goes that he was captured by the enemy. To seek revenge, he endured countless hardships, including sleeping on firewood and tasting bitter gall to spur himself on. Eventually, the Yue state grew stronger and defeated the Wu state. The simple meaning of the idiom is “working hard and enduring hardship now to achieve success in the long term.” ☜