"That’s right, Grand Master, you can’t be too ingratiating. Our Mysterious Sect has its dignity."
Zhao Wuya flicked his shiny, slick hair and said to Zhou Xuan, "Qiangqiang, since you can construct bodies, do you think you can rebuild mine?"
"Ya Zi, your body is perfectly fine, what’s there to rebuild?" Zhou Xuan burst out laughing.
"I want a body like the landlord’s, with strong perception, capable of entering the Day Trip Realm."
"Why do you need the Day Trip Realm?" Yun Ziliang asked.
Zhao Wuya was already lost in his fantasy, imagining himself in the Day Trip Realm, pointing at the sky dramatically as if he were in the middle of an epic monologue, "I want this sky to no longer obscure my sight. I want these clouds to no longer block my heart. I want..."
Before he could finish, a solid "bang" echoed as Yun Ziliang smacked the back of his head.
"Speak human language!"
"Grand Master, I just think that once I enter the Day Trip Realm, my Divine Soul will gain Heaven and Earth Extreme Speed. Then when I go Dragon Seeking, I won’t have to climb mountains and wade rivers anymore. I can just sit at home, let my soul ’whoosh’ out, explore Jing Country’s mountains and treasures, and make Dragon Seeking a pleasant little hobby!"
This left Yun Ziliang dumbfounded.
Zhou Xuan couldn’t help but clap, "You truly live up to your reputation, Ya Zi. Dragon Seeking Young Master, Taoist aristocrat, lazy and truly a master of laziness."
"You Grandma! How did someone like you become part of our Dragon Seeking lineage? Driving trucks for Dragon Seeking, dragging donkeys with carts, smearing your forehead with ice musk oil, and now you’ve come up with Day Trip Dragon Seeking?
You’ve stolen all the laziness in the world!"
Yun Ziliang was so furious he seemed ready to explode, pulling off his shoe and swinging it at Zhao Wuya.
Speaking of Zhao Wuya, he was quite the gutsy character; with an air of calmness, he slowly wrapped his arms around his head, squatted in the corner, and allowed Yun Ziliang to mete out punishment like a storm.
"Ya Zi is getting better at handling beatings now. Look at his expression—he seems to be enjoying it a bit."
"Come on, Grand Master, put some effort in. Did you skip lunch?"
"You scoundrel! Dare to yap while getting beaten?" Yun Ziliang was so amused by his anger, he kept swinging the shoe with renewed vigor.
The room was filled with the sounds of chaotic whacks and claps. Zhou Xuan had already gotten used to such scenes. In the corner, Little Fuzi was munching on a sugar cake, giggling nonstop.
Miss Qiang chuckled with childlike innocence and said, "The atmosphere in your shop is amazing. For the first time in Jing Country, I feel the vibe of having playful rivals, even friends."
Oh, but of course. For years, you’ve been treated as nothing but a flesh-and-blood machine by the Bone Elders... a tool for the Bone Elder Association’s private lessons.
"Anyone who steps into our shop is a buddy," Zhou Xuan said.
Zhao Wuya, now beaten to a pulp yet showing no signs of despair, actually seemed revitalized. He was relentless as ever, continuing to ask Miss Qiang, "Qiangqiang, can you shape my body into the Day Trip Realm? I want to kickstart the Dragon Seeking era."
Miss Qiang covered her mouth, chuckling, "Ah Ya, you need to have a realistic view of my bloodline technology. Technology isn’t all-powerful."
If I could do it, I’d build hundreds of people with the Day Trip Realm ability so they could just escort me back home!"
"Ah! Ah! My Dragon Seeking era has ended before it even began!"
Zhao Wuya howled dramatically at the ceiling...
With new faces in the shop, it was naturally time for a group gathering.
Zhou Xuan booked a table at East River Restaurant. A waiter delivered the boxed meals, and he uncorked a jar of yellow wine.
"Miss Qiang, just so you know, the Bone Elders used to supply you with a hundred people per month for consumption. I can’t offer those conditions here."
"That’s an energy consumption issue. Back with the Bone Elder Association, I built such a massive flesh-and-blood wall, so the energy expenditure was very high. However, now that I’m in your Secret Realm, I’m merely a consciousness here, requiring far less energy. Besides, your Secret Realm is incredibly cozy; I feel like my consciousness has started regenerating."
Miss Qiang’s words made Yun Ziliang jealous. He exclaimed, "Xiao Zhou’s Secret Realm—it’s imbued with Heavenly God’s Will, the rarest treasure in Jing Country! If only my soul weren’t so weak; if I could endure the realm, I’d have long moved in."
"Lao Yun, you’d need my permission to move in."
Zhou Xuan raised his cup and said, "My Secret Realm isn’t a dormitory where you pack in hordes of people. That’s absurd!"
"Just you wait. I’ll find a way to lie around in your Secret Realm!"
Yun Ziliang was now fixated on the idea.
As everyone continued chatting and drinking, after three rounds of drinks, Zhou Xuan began discussing plans to capture Mo Tingsheng.
"Mo Tingsheng is hiding within Jing Country’s historical dimension. Once Miss Qiang calculates his location, I’ll descend into the Blood Well to seize him. After capturing him, I’ll let Miss Qiang inspect whether his flesh-and-blood body is suitable for your use."
"You’re planning to enter the historical dimension? There’s no need to enter the Blood Well; otherwise, you’ll have to offer a sacrifice, and the back-and-forth logistics will waste too much time."
"If I don’t enter the Blood Well, how can I access Jing Country’s history?" Zhou Xuan asked.
Yun Ziliang was about to answer when Zhao Wuya suddenly realized something and hurried to cover Lao Yun’s mouth, "Grand Master, don’t spill the beans..."
"You’re not just lazy yourself, but you want your donkey to slack off too?" Yun Ziliang swatted Zhao Wuya’s hand aside, scolding him.
"Lao Yun, are you saying... that Ya Zi’s Big Black Donkey can take me into Jing Country’s historical dimension?"
"Grand Master, don’t say another word! If the landlord starts riding Big Black into history, won’t the poor donkey become skin and bones?"
"You spend all day fussing about that shabby donkey."
Yun Ziliang shot Zhao Wuya a glare and continued, addressing Zhou Xuan, "The Dragon Seeking lineage traverses Jing Country’s mountains and treasures all thanks to our donkeys. These donkeys can step into history and enter alternate dimensions."