West of Youzhou, in the most remote town at the edge of West Rime City!
Whoosh—
As a Dharma Boat descended, a young man and a mature beauty wearing an ink-wash colored veil entered the town.
Walking inside, they saw people coming and going on the streets—both cultivators and ordinary mortals, creating a lively bustle.
After scanning the area, Deng Tianyu said softly, “Aunt Rong, let’s find an inn to settle in first, then make plans.”
“I rarely go out. I’ll follow Tianyu’s lead in everything,” Qu Qirong nodded. She walked with him along the street, heading deeper inside.
They had come to West Rime City via the teleportation array in Xuan City, then took the Dharma Boat to this town.
Their purpose was simple: to enjoy the beautiful sight of the Flying Cod dancing.
However, this spectacle could only be seen during the final few days of late winter each year.
Coincidentally, Deng Tianyu and Aunt Rong had arrived right at the tail end of late winter!
As their thoughts flowed, they had already inquired at several inns but received the same reply: no vacancies.
Deng Tianyu sighed, “It seems we still came a bit late.”
Without doubt, the inns were full because of the upcoming Flying Cod spectacle.
“Flying Cod, also called Spirit Cod!”
“According to legend, a Spirit Cod King once appeared in West Rime Lake.”
“The Spirit Cod King can perceive the affection between a man and a woman. If it grants its recognition, it will bestow a kind of opportunity.”
Qu Qirong gently stroked the little fox still dozing with half-closed eyes in her arms, her brows smiling as she explained.
“Of course, that’s just a legend. No one has ever confirmed it.”
Deng Tianyu showed an understanding expression: “So that’s why.”
In his view, if it was just the beautiful sight of the Flying Cod dance, although incredibly attractive, it wouldn’t cause every inn to be fully booked like this.
But with this legend, it was different.
Although finding the Spirit Cod King and gaining its recognition might not be certain, what if it were true?
It was precisely this mindset that caused such a hot scene.
After pondering for a moment, Deng Tianyu shook his head: “I suspect there might be no Spirit Cod King at all.”
“This town likely fabricated the story just to attract people here.”
“That’s possible,” Qu Qirong also harbored this thought.
It was just like when Spirit Treasure Pavilion marketed various dharma robes. Those stories were also fabricated—simply a business tactic.
“Are you two looking for a place to stay?”
“I reserved a first-class room, but something urgent came up and I must leave immediately. Are you interested?”
Just as Deng Tianyu and Qu Qirong walked out of yet another fully booked inn, a female cultivator approached and proactively spoke.
Deng Tianyu chuckled: “Will it be more expensive?”
“Fellow Daoist understands the situation here. The price will naturally be a bit higher,” the female cultivator smiled, speaking truthfully.
He hadn’t expected to find a scalper in this town.
But then again, many people arrived here at this time every year.
Pre-booking rooms and then transferring them now to earn Spirit Stones was indeed a way to profit.
“Fellow Daoist, you and your Madam have come from afar. Surely you don’t wish to turn back?” Seeing Deng Tianyu hadn’t replied, the female cultivator added fuel to the fire.
She had only one first-class room left, but because the price was a bit high, no one had taken it yet.
You and your Madam?
Hearing this, Qu Qirong’s stunningly beautiful face under the veil flushed slightly, her heart trembling.
This trip to West Rime City, she hadn’t asked Qing’er to disguise her appearance. She wanted to travel with her Tianyu using her true face, hence the veil.
Deng Tianyu didn’t notice her reaction and simply asked, “How many Spirit Stones?”
The female cultivator sighed in relief: “Not much, just 380!”
“That’s still a bit expensive.” Deng Tianyu put on an extremely tempted expression, but after hesitating, still shook his head.
Seeing this, the female cultivator grew anxious and quickly said, “The price is negotiable…”
Deng Tianyu probed: “190?”
Her mouth twitched: “Ah… this…”
Who bargains like that?
Cutting it in half from the start?
After a while, Deng Tianyu paid 300 Spirit Stones. Following the woman’s lead, he and Aunt Rong checked into a first-class room.
Though he wasn’t short on Spirit Stones now, he wouldn’t waste them, and could enjoy the fun of bargaining.
Originally, Deng Tianyu wanted to find another room. After all, Aunt Rong wasn’t just his elder, but also a woman.
It certainly wasn’t appropriate for them to share a room.
But even asking this scalper female cultivator, he was told there were none left.
Left with no choice, Deng Tianyu and Aunt Rong had to make do.
After settling in and seeing it was still early, they strolled around the town.
Though the town was small, the streets had everything—various pill workshops, artifact workshops, even ordinary shops.
Qu Qirong and Deng Tianyu walked side-by-side, chatting idly while enjoying the sights.
Deng Tianyu felt something stir within, recalling a saying: The hearth-smoke of the mortal world most soothes the mortal heart.
Qu Qirong saw his somewhat complicated expression and asked curiously, “Tianyu, what are you thinking?”
Deng Tianyu’s gaze fell on a small stall selling snacks. “I was thinking, if I hadn’t stepped onto the path of cultivation, would I be just like them, working from sunrise to sunset?”
“Living an ordinary life isn’t bad either.”
Qu Qirong followed his gaze and saw the vendor at the small stall, with a woman helping beside him—clearly a couple.
Deng Tianyu’s expression grew complex, murmuring, “But after stepping into cultivation, I’m somewhat worried.”
Qu Qirong looked at him: “Worried about what?”
“Worried that those I care about will grow old one by one, and I… will witness the entire process, powerless to do anything.”
Deng Tianyu turned around, gazing at her with the utmost seriousness.
A warm current flowed through Qu Qirong’s heart. She revealed a gentle smile: “Is Tianyu afraid that one day, Aunt Rong won’t be by your side anymore?”
She understood the meaning behind his words.
The higher a cultivator’s realm, the longer their lifespan.
At her Qi Drawing Stage, she had at most two hundred years of life.
From a young age, due to her special physique and weak cultivation talent, her path in cultivation was practically predestined.
Qu Qirong hadn’t cared about this before; on the contrary, she had even urgently wished to grow old and die sooner to escape her clan’s control.
But ever since reuniting with Deng Tianyu, she longed for heaven to grant her more years.
Deng Tianyu voiced the thought in his heart: “Has Aunt Rong ever considered that finding a cultivation method suited to your physique could break the shackles of your slow cultivation?”
He had previously researched Aunt Rong’s special physique in the sect’s Library Pavilion.
The result was that this physique would intercept most of the True Essence from cultivation, converting it into Primal Yin Spirit Nimbus.
Therefore, finding a method that allowed her to use the Primal Yin Spirit Nimbus for her own cultivation would completely solve Aunt Rong’s cultivation problem.
