Chapter 21: The Bewildered Qu Rou
"Come down, you're too conspicuous!"
Li Meng formed a hand seal and pressed downward. The spirit sword circling in the sky suddenly dove toward the earth. A streak of golden light flashed past above Little Bamboo Peak.
With a thunderous crash, the spirit sword plunged into the bamboo forest. A shockwave erupted, sending a rolling cloud of bamboo leaves into the air.
As the leaves drifted down and the dust settled, the massive spirit sword stood perfectly upright, embedded in the small bamboo grove. One-fifth of its blade was buried in the ground.
"Let's see how long you can last."
Three hours later.
Looking at the spirit sword that still remained, Li Meng wore a thoughtful expression.
"It seems that as long as it isn't destroyed, it will persist until the Spiritual Power within the Talisman Treasure is exhausted."
The spirit sword naturally absorbed Spiritual Energy on its own. This undoubtedly extended its duration even further.
"The Divine Firmament Talisman truly lives up to its world-shaking reputation!"
Gazing at the massive golden greatsword before him, Li Meng nodded in satisfaction. He formed hand seals with both hands.
"Return!"
The spirit sword suddenly blazed with golden light, transforming into a paper talisman that shot into the storage pouch at Li Meng's waist.
Although a Talisman Treasure could be claimed by a master, only a Golden Core cultivator could refine it and store it within their sea of consciousness. Once refined, it could be used as a life-bound treasure.
Li Meng looked up toward the direction of the Inner Sect.
"It's time to go see someone."
He soared into the air, his aged body shooting out of the bamboo forest. A flying sword whirled out from his storage pouch. Li Meng stepped onto it and rode off into the distance on his sword.
Inner Sect, Cloud Peak.
"Outer Disciple Li Meng pays his respects to Senior Qu!"
Li Meng hovered on his sword in mid-air, bowing respectfully with clasped hands.
"It's him again!"
Several streaks of sword light shot out from mountain peaks all around, riding on swords toward him. Foundation Establishment cultivators flew much faster than Qi Condensation ones. As their swords cut through the air, they leaked traces of Spiritual Power.
Just then, another streak of sword light suddenly pierced through the sky, heading straight for Li Meng.
"Isn't that Shi Mu?"
"Shi Mu? That True Disciple from Giant Sword Peak?"
"That's right, it's him!"
"What's he doing here?"
"You're really out of touch. Senior Brother Shi Mu has always wanted to become Dao Companions with Senior Qu. Before, with Senior Brother Chen around and Senior Qu unwilling, Senior Brother Shi Mu naturally didn't want to force things. But now that Senior Qu has no Dao Companion, how could Senior Brother Shi Mu let this opportunity slip?"
"Has Senior Brother Shi Mu also been turned away?"
"Isn't it obvious?"
The arrival of that sword light caused a stir among the watching Inner Disciples. The streak of light swept past Li Meng and came to an abrupt halt. A True Disciple in white robes blocked Li Meng's path. Standing on his flying sword, he looked down at Li Meng from above, radiating an aura of supreme confidence.
Li Meng bowed respectfully to the man blocking his way. "Outer Disciple Li Meng greets you, Senior."
"Hmph!" Shi Mu responded coldly. "What is your relationship with Junior Sister Qu?"
Li Meng kept his head bowed, his eyes darting around. Telling the truth was naturally out of the question. If he told the truth, he would become infamous overnight. With Senior Qu's popularity within the Inner Sect so high, if word got out that he and Senior Qu were in a "Yin-Yang union," he would probably face the greatest tribulation of his life.
"In reply, Senior: Senior Qu is an elder from this Junior's family down the mountain."
Shi Mu's face revealed an expression that said 'just as I thought.' Junior Sister Qu wouldn't even see him. If they weren't related by family ties, why would she agree to meet an Outer Disciple at Qi Condensation level eight who was about to face his Sitting Death?
Shi Mu waved his hand dismissively. Two bottles of pills flew toward Li Meng.
"Deliver these two bottles of pills to Junior Sister Qu for me. My name is Shi Mu. Once this is done successfully, you will be handsomely rewarded."
"Yes, Senior!"
Li Meng caught the pill bottles. His respectful attitude greatly pleased Shi Mu.
At that moment, the mist swirling around Cloud Peak stirred. A passageway opened up leading to the peak's summit.
"Go on."
Shi Mu moved aside to clear the path. Li Meng rode his sword into the passageway. As soon as he entered, the mist rapidly closed behind him.
Cloud Peak Summit Pavilion.
Li Meng descended from his sword and landed in the courtyard. With a casual flick of his sleeve, he strolled leisurely toward the pavilion's main door.
Creak.
Li Meng pushed open the door and entered. Once inside, he unhurriedly ascended to the second floor. Before a partition curtain on this floor, he stopped and bowed respectfully toward the graceful figure seated on a bed behind it.
"Outer Disciple Li Meng pays his respects to Senior Qu."
He lightly patted the storage pouch at his waist. Five pill bottles immediately flew out. One after another, they passed through the partition curtain and landed on the bed beside Qu Rou.
"These are the pills this Junior promised you, Senior Qu. As for the Dustfall Pill… please wait a little longer."
"The jade-green bottles were entrusted to me by Senior Shi Mu for delivery to you, Senior Qu. This Junior takes his leave."
Li Meng took two steps back and turned to leave.
"Halt!"
Qu Rou's cool voice sounded from behind the curtain. Two pill bottles flew through it toward Li Meng.
"Return them to him!"
Li Meng caught them. "As you wish, Senior Qu."
Whether she accepted them or not wasn't for him to decide.
Qu Rou's clear yet cold voice sounded again from behind. "I… I wrongly accused you last time."
Li Meng bowed toward her silhouette behind the curtain. "Acknowledged. This Junior takes his leave."
"Halt!"
Qu Rou's voice rose slightly. "I've already apologized! You… what more do you want?"
Her voice carried a note of agitation.
"This Junior understands. I will not disturb your healing any further. I take my leave."
Li Meng's voice was utterly flat. He turned and left. The sound of footsteps descending grew fainter.
"Go! Go then! Never come back again!"
As he descended, Li Meng heard Senior Qu's furious voice.
Exiting through the pavilion door, Li Meng looked up at the sky.
Although he had made all possible preparations, whether he would return remained an unknown variable. Delivering these pills early was just a precaution against that slim chance. If he didn't come back… at least he wouldn't have broken his word. Even without a Dustfall Pill among them, the pills he had prepared for her gave her a very high chance of forming her Golden Core.
He soared into flight once more, riding his sword away into the distance.
In the pavilion, behind the second-floor partition curtain…
"You… you… what are you being so petty about? Don't you find this ridiculous?"
Qu Rou clenched her fists tightly, her breathing growing slightly ragged. She was angry, furious even. She wanted nothing more than to give that man who disturbed her mental state a thorough beating.
Qu Rou didn't understand why she felt this way, but she simply couldn't bear his indifferent attitude toward her now.
Looking down at the three pill bottles beside her on the bed, her expression turned icy cold again.
"Hmph! Who wants your pills anyway?"
She raised her hand as if to sweep them away, but stopped herself before doing so.
With a slight wave, the corks popped off the jade bottles, instantly releasing a rich medicinal aroma that invigorated her senses immediately upon inhalation…
"Second-grade Flawless Spirit Gathering Pills… Second-grade Flawless Spirit Tempering Pills… Second-grade Flawless Soul Nourishing Pills…"
Could Junior Nephew Li truly be a prodigy in alchemy?
Qu Rou stared blankly at the three pill bottles before her, utterly bewildered.