novelraw Chapter 59 – Reward him...!
Chapter 59 – Reward him...!
Mu Xiaochuan's mind raced! With the defense of the Black Tortoise Ink Scale Armor and the Azure Dragon Soul-Suppressing Wood, he was confident he could withstand the attack of a Golden Elixir stage expert for a moment and then escape!
But... what about Ye Lingxuan?!
He decided to try first, and if it didn't work, he'd figure it out later. He quickly shielded Ye Lingxuan behind him, his spiritual power surging wildly within him. The Azure Dragon Soul-Suppressing Wood and Black Tortoise Ink Scale Armor shone brightly!
At this critical moment!
Another wave of vast, yet gentle and inclusive pressure descended from another direction, like a spring breeze turning into rain, instantly neutralizing most of the cold and terrifying pressure!
Mu Xiaochuan suddenly felt the pressure on him lighten!
He looked up in surprise!
From the direction of Tianshu Peak, a familiar figure walked through the air, hands behind his back! It was none other than the Sect Master of Qingling Sect—Xuanyangzi!
"Hehe, Friend Chenghua, why aren't you cultivating in your own Cave Abode and instead wandering into our Qingling Sect's territory without a word?" Xuanyangzi's voice was calm.
The mysterious Golden Elixir stage expert paused in mid-air, revealing her true form. She was an old woman with a withered face and a sinister gaze! She snorted coldly, "Xuanyangzi? Hmph! I was just passing by, no need to visit your doghouse!"
"Oh? Is that so?" Xuanyangzi stroked his beard, half-smiling, "Since you're just 'passing by', you can 'pass by' now."
The old woman's face darkened, glaring fiercely at Mu Xiaochuan before snorting, "Xuanyangzi! We'll meet again at the Xiaoque Dynasty Dao Discourse Gathering!"
With that, her figure flickered and disappeared!
The pressure of the Golden Elixir stage expert receded like a tide.
Mu Xiaochuan let out a long breath of relief, while Ye Lingxuan seemed to lose all her strength, collapsing to the ground, her back drenched in sweat.
Xuanyangzi slowly descended, looking at the two in their sorry state, his face turning ashen!
He suddenly turned his head, his gaze like it was about to burst into flames: "Return to the sect."
Mu Xiaochuan, like a schoolboy who had done something wrong, helped Ye Lingxuan onto the Azure Dragon Soul-Suppressing Wood and returned to Qingling Sect.
Back at Qingling Sect, Mu Xiaochuan sent Ye Lingxuan back to the Listening Bamboo Pavilion, while he followed the Sect Master to the Purple Cloud Hall on Tianshu Peak.
"Mu! Xiao! Chuan!!!" A roar filled with boundless fury echoed in Mu Xiaochuan's ears like a thunderclap! "What did I tell you?"
Mu Xiaochuan replied honestly, "Not to leave the sect, to get resources from Vice Sect Master Ren Tianlong, and to achieve a ranking at the Xiaoque Dynasty Dao Discourse Gathering."
Xuanyangzi was trembling with anger, "Earth-tier Spiritual Artifact! Earth-tier Armor! You even attracted a Golden Elixir stage expert! Are you tired of living?!"
Mu Xiaochuan shrank his neck, this time he truly had no excuse.
"Sect Master... I... I was wrong..." He hung his head, his voice barely a whisper.
"Wrong? And when I told you to get cultivation resources from the Vice Sect Master, did I mean for you to move them all to Yunqi Peak?" Xuanyangzi grew angrier as he scolded, "If you can't achieve a ranking at the Xiaoque Dynasty Dao Discourse Gathering, I don't know how to appease Ren Tianlong!"
"Don't worry, I'll definitely get it." Mu Xiaochuan perked up at the challenge.
"You're stripped of your right to obtain cultivation resources, now get out." Xuanyangzi was both angry and amused by Mu Xiaochuan.
Inside the Listening Bamboo Pavilion.
Mu Xiaochuan reflected on his actions, realizing he had been too reckless, almost dragging Ye Lingxuan into the vortex. Although the Sect Master scolded him and stripped him of his resource privileges, it was out of genuine concern and protection. He had indeed gone too far.
With this thought, the frustration in Mu Xiaochuan's heart dissipated.
"Alright, your elder is fine, just got a scolding." Mu Xiaochuan said to Ye Lingxuan and Su Yao with a hint of annoyance.
"Ah..." The two women finally breathed a sigh of relief, quickly covering their mouths, afraid of displeasing the elder.
Seeing their cute and charming expressions, Mu Xiaochuan's mood lifted.
Mu Xiaochuan glanced at the Azure Dragon Soul-Suppressing Wood in his hand.
This staff, though powerful, was fixed at the Earth-tier Low-Grade level and couldn't be upgraded further.
"It's time for an upgrade." Mu Xiaochuan thought to himself.
He looked up, gazing out the window towards the direction of Tianshu Peak.
"Sect Master, you've treated me well, and I, Mu Xiaochuan, will remember this kindness. This staff will be my... early tribute to you!"
The night passed without incident, and it was the day before the Sect Grand Tournament.
Mu Xiaochuan once again headed to Tianshu Peak, his target—Vice Sect Master Ren Tianlong's Cave Abode.
"Junior Brother Mu?! You... why are you here again?!" Ren Tianlong's expression was quite a sight upon seeing Mu Xiaochuan, as if he'd seen a plague, instinctively wanting to cover his storage ring.
"Oh, Vice Sect Master Ren, I'm not here for resources!" Mu Xiaochuan, seeing his expression, knew that the Sect Master hadn't revoked his privilege to freely take resources.
"Not here for resources?" Ren Tianlong looked at him suspiciously.
"Of course not!" Mu Xiaochuan straightened his back, feigning seriousness, "I'm here... to present a treasure!"
With that, he casually handed over the ancient, majestic Azure Dragon Soul-Suppressing Wood to Ren Tianlong!
"This is...?!" Ren Tianlong's pupils contracted sharply! He reached out with trembling hands, carefully accepting the staff, feeling the immense power and unique aura of the Earth-tier Spiritual Artifact, utterly stunned!
"Junior Brother Mu! You... what is this...?" Ren Tianlong was so excited he was at a loss for words!
"This staff is called the Azure Dragon Soul-Suppressing Wood, an Earth-tier Low-Grade Spiritual Artifact, with my personal divine sense erased." Mu Xiaochuan smiled, "The sect has treated me well, and I ask the Vice Sect Master to pass this staff to the Sect Master as a token of my gratitude."
Ren Tianlong looked at the Earth-tier Spiritual Artifact in his hand, then at Mu Xiaochuan's sincere and open gaze, shocked to his core!
An Earth-tier Spiritual Artifact! Just given away like that?!
This Mu Xiaochuan... truly is... noble and selfless! Righteous and loyal!
I was wrong to think of him as a troublemaker who only knew how to take and cause trouble! Truly... judging a gentleman by a villain's heart!
Ren Tianlong felt his old face flush with shame.
"Good! Good! Good!" Ren Tianlong exclaimed thrice, patting Mu Xiaochuan on the shoulder excitedly, "Junior Brother Mu! The Sect Master will surely understand your intentions!"
In his excitement, he even removed the storage ring symbolizing the sect's resource allocation authority from his finger, quickly erasing the spiritual imprint, and handed it to Mu Xiaochuan!
"Junior Brother Mu! This... this is the sect's storage ring! It contains nearly half of the sect's liquid resources! You... take a look! Take whatever you like!"
Mu Xiaochuan: "..."
Isn't this development a bit too fast? The Sect Master just stripped me of resource privileges, and the Vice Sect Master gives them back?
The system's notification sounded in his mind: "Ding, congratulations to the host for gaining Vice Sect Master Ren Tianlong's recognition and gratitude, feeling thrilled, gaining 15 Thrill Points."
Mu Xiaochuan, in a good mood, played with the storage ring for a while. It was much better than his storage pouch, with more space. He thought he should get one for himself in the future, so he casually took a few dozen Qi-Gathering Pills and returned it.
Ren Tianlong didn't even check what resources Mu Xiaochuan took. After sending him off, he held the Azure Dragon Soul-Suppressing Wood like a rare treasure and eagerly went to report the good news to Sect Master Xuanyangzi!
...
Inside the Purple Cloud Hall.
When Xuanyangzi saw the Azure Dragon Soul-Suppressing Wood presented by Ren Tianlong, this Golden Elixir stage expert who had lived for hundreds of years, was as excited as a child receiving a beloved toy, his hands trembling!
"Azure Dragon Soul-Suppressing Wood...!" Xuanyangzi gently stroked the staff, the familiar and immense power surging through him, his eyes filled with uncontrollable joy and excitement!
"Mu Xiaochuan... that boy Mu Xiaochuan..." Xuanyangzi murmured to himself, the dissatisfaction and anger accumulated from Mu Xiaochuan's repeated troubles already swept away by this unexpected surprise!
"Good boy! Truly a good boy!" Xuanyangzi couldn't help but laugh heartily, his voice filled with endless joy!
"Elder Mu Xiaochuan... outstanding merit! Reward... reward..." Xuanyangzi was so excited he was momentarily speechless, thinking for a long time before slapping the armrest of his throne, "Reward him...!"