Dao Companion Crippled, Coveters Move

Chapter 209 - 208: Xuanyuan City

"Master, you've said that a Cultivator's path of Cultivation is one of defying the heavens. If I'm afraid of danger, how can I ever grow?

Besides, only Cultivators below the Divinity Transformation realm can enter the Secret Realm the Sect is going to. If I, the champion of the Sect's grand competition, were to shrink back in fear, I'd be far from worthy of the title."

Qing Yueqiu stated her resolve, hoping her master wouldn't worry about her.

Pei Yuhang pondered for a moment before saying, "Yueqiu, since your mind is made up, I naturally won't stop you. However, this is your first time exploring a large-scale Secret Realm. You must be fully prepared.

There's too little time now, so it's difficult for me to quickly raise your strength through your Cultivation or Cultivation Technique. I can only help with external items."

"Master, are you going to buy me a Magical Treasure? I don't need something like that… It's too extravagant."

Qing Yueqiu instinctively wanted to refuse, not wanting to be too indebted to her master.

In response, however, she received a flick on the forehead from Pei Yuhang.

"Ow! Master, why did you hit me?"

Qing Yueqiu said, clutching her forehead with a wronged expression.

"Your junior sister pesters me for Magical Treasures every day, but you? I offer one to you, and you refuse. I've truly never seen a disciple as silly as you."

As he spoke, Pei Yuhang tugged on Qing Yueqiu's earlobe.

"Don't think you're saving me Spirit Stones by refusing a Magical Treasure. If you suffer some lasting injury in the Secret Realm, the amount of Spirit Stones I'll have to spend to heal you will only be more, not less!"

Hearing this, Qing Yueqiu recalled the astronomical sum of Spirit Stones her master had spent on his wife. It had nearly bankrupted the entire Cold Palace Sword Mansion, almost forcing him to mortgage the mansion itself.

At this thought, Qing Yueqiu shivered.

'I could never be like Master's wife, taking his sacrifices for granted. If I ever reached that point, I would end my own life. I would never hold him back.'

The silver-haired girl finally saw the logic in his words. She nodded, agreeing to go with her master to procure a Magical Treasure.

However,

"Master, you don't have to buy a very expensive Magical Treasure. Something of average quality will be enough. I'm sure my Luminous is sufficient for most situations…"

"Don't worry, I can't afford the really expensive ones anyway!"

Pei Yuhang rolled his eyes in exasperation. 'I really didn't expect Qing Yueqiu to be *this* frugal… It must be a psychological scar left over from when my Dao Companion was seriously injured and recuperating.'

In truth, Pei Yuhang desperately wanted to tell Yueqiu that the one thing the Cold Palace Sword Mansion didn't lack right now was Spirit Stones. 'You can buy whatever you want! Pick out anything you like, get the best of the best!'

But the moment Pei Yuhang thought about where those Spirit Stones came from—almost all of them tossed to him by that woman, Shang Miaoyan, after she was done using him—he lost all desire to speak.

'If Yueqiu knew that all the Spirit Stones she used were obtained by her master selling his body, she would surely be disgusted.'

A wave of melancholy suddenly washed over Pei Yuhang, but for the sake of his disciple, he could only suppress all the stray thoughts in his heart.

"Let's go, Yueqiu. I'll take you to Xuanyuan City to buy a Magical Treasure."

Xuanyuan City was the central district of the Xuanyuan Dao Sect. It boasted the most prosperous commercial facilities, a veritable heaven on earth. Because it was brightly lit every night, as if it were daytime, it was also jokingly called the "Daoist Sect's City of Eternal Night."

The Cold Palace Sword Mansion was located in a remote part of the Dao Sect, a great distance away, so Qing Yueqiu remembered that her last visit to Xuanyuan City had been twenty years ago.

Her very first trip to Xuanyuan City was right after her master had found her in the mortal world and brought her back to the Sect.

The night view of Xuanyuan City back then had left Little Yueqiu in absolute awe. She had originally thought the mortal world's Capital City was the most prosperous place in the world, but now it seemed it couldn't hold a candle to Xuanyuan City's magnificence.

Back then, Little Yueqiu had thought that even if her master kicked her out of the Cold Palace Sword Mansion one day, returning to her old trade as a beggar in Xuanyuan City would probably be more comfortable than living in the Capital City.

Remembering this amusing past event, Qing Yueqiu couldn't help but smile. She took out her Luminous Shadow Sword and said to Pei Yuhang with anticipation:

"Master, let me fly the sword this time. It'll be a good chance for you to see if your disciple's Sword Control Technique has improved."

"Alright. Then I'll ride on Yueqiu's Flying Sword for once."

Hearing this, Qing Yueqiu joyfully tightened her grip on the hilt. 'This is the first time Master is riding my Flying Sword. I absolutely cannot crash!'

The silver-haired girl formed a hand seal, causing Luminous to hover in the air, parallel to the ground.

She stepped onto it first with her long, slender legs, then manipulated her Spiritual Qi to make the Spirit Sword beneath her feet grow two sizes larger, so it wouldn't be crowded when her master got on.

Feeling the Spirit Sword jolt slightly beneath her feet, Qing Yueqiu knew her master had gotten on as well.

She began to form seals for Sword Control. With a low hum like an engine revving, the Luminous Shadow Sword went from still to moving, leaving a trail of moonlight in its wake as it shot through the air.

...

...

As the Dao Sect's largest commercial hub, Xuanyuan City naturally covered an immense area.

It was divided into an Upper and a Lower City.

The Lower City covered two high mountains and a large plain. The Upper City, composed of several connected floating islands, hovered above and behind the Lower City. Due to no-fly restrictions near Xuanyuan City, colossal Spirit Ships, as massive as the mythical Kun-Peng, were responsible for ferrying Dao Sect disciples between the two levels.

It was now dusk. Xuanyuan City had already lit its myriad lights, appearing brilliant and golden from a distance, even more majestic and grand than it was by day.

"Yueqiu, let's land here. We can't fly the sword any further."

"Okay."

Qing Yueqiu controlled the Spirit Sword to descend slowly. As her feet touched solid ground again, she couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

'While flying, I accelerated as much as I could and even deliberately made the Flying Sword swerve left and right, all because I wanted Master to hold onto my waist…'

Unfortunately, she hadn't succeeded in the end.

With her plan having failed, Qing Yueqiu couldn't help but feel a little disappointed.

Just then, she suddenly felt a warmth cover her hand, making her heart tremble.

"Let's go, Yueqiu. Don't just stand there."

Considering the dense crowds in the city, Pei Yuhang had subconsciously taken Qing Yueqiu's hand.

But after his hand closed around Yueqiu's cool, smooth one, Pei Yuhang suddenly realized that she had grown up. She no longer needed him to hold her hand to keep from getting lost.

"Sorry… I still think of you as a child."

Pei Yuhang let out a laugh and tried to let go, only to find his hand held fast by her slender, pale fingers, impossible to shake free.

"I… haven't been to Xuanyuan City in a long time. I've almost forgotten what it looks like inside.

It would be… more convenient if you held my hand and led the way, Master. Otherwise, it could be a lot of trouble."

The girl's voice was barely a whisper.

The blush on her pretty face was more memorable than the setting sun.