Chapter 577: Borrowing the Golden Vessel |
Inside a cave dwelling on the back mountain of the Myriad Swords Sect, Ning Qi was immersed in deep cultivation.
By the late hours of the night, he finally concluded his cultivation session.
Only then did he return to the stone bed and fall into a deep sleep.
When he awoke, he discovered the sky was already bright.
Xu Qingqiu came looking for him early in the morning.
"Ning Qi."
Her clear, crisp voice came from outside the cave dwelling.
"Miss Xu."
Ning Qi also walked out from the cave dwelling, emerging with a smile.
Xu Qingqiu asked with a smile.
"It was fine, much better than roughing it in the wind and dew."
Ning Qi chuckled, speaking half-jokingly.
"That's good, otherwise people might say I neglected you."
Xu Qingqiu smiled and joined in the jest.
"Do you have any plans for today?"
Ning Qi looked at her and couldn't help but ask.
For her to come this early, there must be some arrangement, otherwise she wouldn't have come to find him at this hour.
"Yes, there's something I need you to come with me for."
Xu Qingqiu nodded, then adopted a serious expression.
"Oh? What is it?"
Ning Qi immediately grew curious, his eyes fixed on Xu Qingqiu as he asked.
"It's like this. I accepted a task today to go check on the situation at one of our branches."
Xu Qingqiu looked at Ning Qi and explained seriously, "Since you're here, it's perfect for you to come with me."
"A branch? Does it need regular inspections?"
Ning Qi was also curious; he hadn't encountered this kind of thing before.
"No, because this branch has been out of contact for two months."
"According to protocol, they are supposed to report their situation to our sect once every month."
"So, we suspect they might have encountered some danger."
"That's why this task was issued. Previously, two groups of people already accepted the task."
"However, after they went, there has been no word from them at all."
"So, this task was reissued."
Xu Qingqiu explained earnestly to Ning Qi, "After I saw this task, I felt something was wrong, so I wanted to go see for myself what exactly is going on."
"Alright then, I'll go with you."
After listening to her explanation, Ning Qi said seriously, "Do we need to prepare anything?"
"No need. I've already prepared the Flying Vessel. Let's go to the teleportation point first."
Hearing his question, Xu Qingqiu smiled and said, "This trip out should take about seven or eight days. If things don't go smoothly, it could be ten days to half a month."
"By the time we return, it will almost be time to depart."
"Oh? We're departing that early?"
Ning Qi asked curiously.
"Yes, because we still need some time for the journey."
Xu Qingqiu nodded and continued, "It takes about ten days or so to travel from here to the Realm Sea Battlefield."
"Hmm, I see."
Hearing her words, Ning Qi finally understood the situation.
"Then let's set off. We should make the most of our time."
Xu Qingqiu nodded, then proactively invited him.
"Good, let's go."
Ning Qi agreed and then followed her down the mountain.
The two set off together, and in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, they arrived at the Mountain Gate.
On one side of the Mountain Gate, many Flying Vessels were parked, clearly prepared for those carrying out tasks.
Xu Qingqiu led Ning Qi straight over, then called out to a disciple there.
"Junior Brother, is my Flying Vessel ready?"
Xu Qingqiu looked at the disciple and asked with a smile.
"Senior Sister, it's been ready for a while."
"I picked out the best ones for you."
After replying, the disciple pointed to a Flying Vessel ahead and said, "What do you think of this one? If you like it, use it."
"With Junior Brother's recommendation, how could I not like it? This one it is."
Without hesitation, Xu Qingqiu stepped forward and said.
"Good, then take this. Be safe on your journey!"
The disciple handed a token to Xu Qingqiu and cautioned her.
"Alright, don't worry."
Xu Qingqiu acknowledged, then boarded the Flying Vessel, waving to Ning Qi, "Ning Qi, let's go."
"Mm, coming!"
Ning Qi agreed and followed directly onto the Flying Vessel.
Xu Qingqiu's Nine-Tailed Cat also followed them aboard.
"Departure!"
Xu Qingqiu placed her spirit stones onto the Flying Vessel and activated it.
The Flying Vessel then sped forward.
After she left, Gao Yunze approached from a distance.
"Junior Brother, where did Miss Xu go?"
He looked in Xu Qingqiu's direction and asked with concern.
"Senior Brother, she left to carry out a task. I can't disclose that to you."
Hearing his inquiry, the disciple shook his head and said.
"She left with a young man, right?"
Gao Yunze pressed further.
"Yes, they just left a moment ago."
The disciple continued to reply, not paying it much mind.
"Hmm, then for the sake of your Senior Brother's future happiness, you should tell me where she went."
As he spoke, Gao Yunze specifically handed a storage bag to this disciple, "There's a small token of appreciation inside. You've worked hard, Junior Brother."
"Senior Brother, you're really putting me in a difficult position."
The disciple said this with his mouth, but his hands were very honest.
He directly took the storage bag into his hand.
"Junior Brother, it's not about making things difficult for you. If you don't tell and I don't tell, who else could know?"
Gao Yunze smiled mysteriously and gave him another storage bag.
It was bulging, clearly filled with spirit stones.
"This is her task. Take a look."
In the end, the disciple couldn't resist the temptation and handed Xu Qingqiu's task to Gao Yunze to see.
"Oh? Thank you, Junior Brother!"
Gao Yunze snatched it over and immediately began reading it seriously.
"Senior Brother, remember, don't cause any commotion, or I'll be in trouble."
After handing it over, the disciple hurriedly reminded him.
"Junior Brother, just relax. How could your Senior Brother harm you? I won't tell anyone about this."
Gao Yunze patted his chest, swearing a solemn promise.
"Good! Thank you, Senior Brother."
The disciple nodded, then watched as Gao Yunze, full of thoughts and thanks, departed.
After leaving, Gao Yunze headed straight up the mountain.
He moved with great urgency, clearly having something important to attend to.
Upon returning to the mountain, he first sought out his master.
"Master!"
Gao Yunze arrived before a hall and bowed respectfully.
"What is it?"
His master, hearing his call, asked in a deep voice.
Following these words, a blurry figure appeared before him.
It was clearly a white-haired, elderly man.
"Master, may I borrow your Golden Vessel?"
Gao Yunze asked respectfully.
"Golden Vessel? What do you need it for?"
Hearing this, the old man couldn't help but ask in a deep tone.
"Master, your disciple is going to carry out a task and wishes to return as soon as possible."
Hearing the inquiry, Gao Yunze said with a grave expression, "To save time, I wanted to borrow Master's Golden Vessel so the speed can be faster."
"It's rare to see you so motivated. Very well, you may use it."
Hearing this, the old man's aged face revealed a trace of a smile.
He then patted his storage bag, and a palm-sized golden vessel appeared.
With a wave of his hand, the Golden Vessel flew over to hover before Gao Yunze.
"Thank you, Master."
Gao Yunze received the Golden Vessel with both hands and bowed respectfully.
"Go on. Be careful out there."
The old man waved his hand, and with a sway of his body.
He abruptly vanished from before him.
Gao Yunze held the Golden Vessel and suddenly activated it.
"Whoosh."
The Golden Vessel instantly enlarged, and he directly leaped onto it.
Landing steadily upon the Golden Vessel.
"Departure!"
Gao Yunze did not leave directly. Instead, he piloted the Golden Vessel to the back mountain area.
"Senior Brother?"
"Where are you headed?"
Upon reaching the back mountain, he saw several of his Senior Brothers who had been with him last night.
One by one, they looked at him riding the Golden Vessel and asked curiously.
"Going out on business. If any of you are free, come with me."
Gao Yunze looked at the few people present and said solemnly, "Upon successful completion, each person will be rewarded with ten thousand supreme spirit stones."
"I'll go!"
"I'm free too."
"Senior Brother, I'll go with you."
...
After his one sentence, several disciples immediately raised their hands competitively.
"Good, then all of you, come aboard."
Gao Yunze accepted all who came.
His Golden Vessel could shrink or enlarge, so there was no worry about not having enough space.
"Good!"
"I'm coming!"
...
At his command, over a dozen people leaped up one after another, landing on his Golden Vessel.
"Departure."
Gao Yunze, having gathered quite a few people, then piloted the Golden Vessel to set off.
The direction was precisely the one Ning Qi and Xu Qingqiu had taken.
By now, the two had already flown far from the Myriad Swords Sect.
They were flying over an unknown mountain range.
"Roar!"
From below, the roars of fierce beasts could be heard from time to time, sending chills down one's spine.
"There are quite a few vicious beasts here."
Listening to the roars from below, Ning Qi remarked.
"Yes, this is the Myriad Beasts Mountain."
Xu Qingqiu pointed downward and said, "However, this is the territory of our Myriad Swords Sect. Only we are allowed to come here to hunt."
"If other sects want to come here to hunt fierce beasts and Spirit Beasts, they must obtain permission from our Myriad Swords Sect."
"Moreover, it's impossible for them to take everything they hunt. They must give us twenty percent before they can leave."
"Oh? You're that domineering?"
Hearing this, Ning Qi couldn't help but ask with a smile.
"Ning Qi, in the face of resources, everyone is equal. Would you stand by and watch your enemy take away your resources, unmoved?"
Xu Qingqiu gave a very vivid example.
"That's true too."
Ning Qi had no rebuttal.
"Flying like this will take two or three days."
"These next few days will be spent entirely on this Flying Vessel. It's bound to be quite boring."
Sitting on the Flying Vessel, Xu Qingqiu couldn't help but let out a long sigh.
Her eyes gazed into the distance.
"Isn't there any way to make it fly faster?"
Ning Qi suddenly thought of something and asked.
"There is. It requires spirit marrow, but that's too wasteful."
Xu Qingqiu thought for a moment before responding.
"Spirit marrow? If we use spirit marrow for the entire journey, how much faster would it be?"
Hearing this, Ning Qi immediately became interested.
"It could save half the time."
Xu Qingqiu nodded and said.
"Then it's worth it. It saves us time on the road, which means more time for the task itself."
Hearing her words, Ning Qi directly took out a storage bag from his storage bag and handed it to her.
"This is..."
Xu Qingqiu had already guessed something, but still asked uncertainly.
"This is spirit marrow. Take it and use it."
"Saving time, we might even have time for some sightseeing."
Ning Qi said with a smile.
"In that case, I won't stand on ceremony."
Xu Qingqiu nodded.
"Why be polite with us? Use it freely."
Before Ning Qi could say anything, the Pill Spirit chimed in.
"Little guy, can you make decisions for your master?"
Xu Qingqiu teased him.
"I can't, but didn't my master give it to you?"
"Isn't it obvious? He's definitely letting you use it freely."
The Pill Spirit spread his hands, putting on an innocent, harmless look.
"Little guy, sharp-tongued."
Xu Qingqiu tapped his little head, then turned and walked toward the cabin, "I'll go put the spirit marrow in to use. Wait here for a bit."
"Alright!"
Ning Qi didn't hesitate either. After agreeing, he sat on the deck by himself, gazing into the distance.
"Whoosh!"
While they were admiring the scenic mountains and rivers along the way.
They suddenly felt something streak past overhead.
"Master, what was that?"
The Pill Spirit was the first to notice, pointing at a streak of golden light in the distance and asking curiously.
"I don't know. It was too fast to see clearly!"
Ning Qi shook his head, then analyzed, "However, it should have been a Flying Vessel."
"Ah? If only we could have a Flying Vessel like that, that would be amazing."
"That speed is simply unbeatable!"
The Pill Spirit immediately showed an expression of envy, watching as that streak of golden light vanished before his eyes.
"What are you two talking about?"
At that moment, Xu Qingqiu happened to walk out.
Seeing the two of them staring blankly ahead, she couldn't help but ask curiously.
"We saw a golden, shimmering Flying Vessel fly past just now."
Ning Qi said with a smile.
"Golden shimmer? I think Gao Yunze's master has a Golden Vessel that's like that."
Xu Qingqiu thought for a moment and said seriously, "It couldn't be him, could it?"
At this moment, she vaguely felt something was amiss.
Gao Yunze was someone who would stop at nothing to achieve his goals.
It was very possible that after learning what task she was undertaking, he would go cause trouble.
"So what if it is him?"
Ning Qi said disdainfully, "If it really is him, I'll just seize his Golden Vessel."
"That won't do. We are fellow disciples. If word got out, people would gossip!"
Xu Qingqiu immediately shook her head, a flash of unease in her eyes, "You mustn't act recklessly."
"Fine, I'll listen to you. But let's be clear."
"If it really is him and he dares to come cause trouble, I won't go easy on him."
Ning Qi nodded, then seriously reminded her.
"I don't think he would dare."
Xu Qingqiu shook her head and continued looking ahead, "Alright, our speed is about to increase. I'm going to activate the protective formation."
"Mm, good!"
Ning Qi nodded, then circulated his cultivation technique, preparing to withstand the intensity of this first speed boost.
"Good, bring it on."
The Pill Spirit had already hidden inside Ning Qi's clothes, waiting for her to increase the speed.