#81 - Birthday Party
For several days, Jun Wu Xie remained in the Juba斋 without stepping outside.
After breaking through to the Qi Condensation Realm, he continued to refine two-star superb-grade spiritual artifacts, steadily and rapidly increasing his cultivation.
… …
On Mount Zongwang, Xiao Yueyao was feeling down, having not seen her brother for several days.
What is my brother doing right now?
She rested her small hand on her cheek, sitting on a rock on the mountain, gazing blankly down the mountain.
“Xiao Yueyao, waiting for Senior Brother again?” Xu Daoling walked over, teasing her: “Let me tell you, don’t wait anymore. Senior Brother has run away, he doesn’t want you anymore.”
“You’re lying, I don’t believe you!” Xiao Yueyao turned her head to glare at him, bright, clear eyes quickly filling with tears: “Brother just went out because he has something to do, he will be back soon!”
“Cough, don’t cry, don’t cry!” Xu Daoling panicked instantly. He just wanted to tease her, never expecting she would actually cry, and was flustered for a moment: “I was just joking with you. Senior Brother dotes on you so much, how could he not want you? He just went to the capital to take care of some things.”
“Go away, I don’t like you!”
Yueyao pouted her little mouth, puffing out her cheeks, tears instantly rolling down.
“Don’t cry, don’t cry.” Xu Daoling was at a loss, glancing nervously at the main hall of the sect, and said: “Don’t let Grandpa Jiu hear you, or he’ll think I’m bullying you, and he’ll definitely punish me… Little Ancestor, can you please not cry?”
“How about this, I’ll take you to the capital tomorrow to find your brother, okay?”
“Really?” Xiao Yueyao’s eyes instantly lit up, but then she shook her head, saying: “I won’t go, brother has things to do, I don’t want to cause him trouble, I don’t want to be a burden to brother!”
“It won’t be any trouble. You just follow me, and we’ll just go see what he’s doing, so you can feel at ease, right?”
“Is that so…” Xiao Yueyao tilted her head and thought for a while, ultimately unable to resist the temptation, and said: “Alright then, but we’ll just look at brother from afar, don’t let him know we went to the capital, okay!”
“No problem!” Xu Daoling snapped his fingers, then said flatteringly: “Then… you also have to promise me, don’t tell your brother that I made you cry, okay?”
“Okay, I’m not that petty.”
Yueyao laughed happily, innocently and radiantly.
… …
Time passed quickly.
Ji Yinlan’s birthday banquet arrived in the blink of an eye.
That morning, Jun Wu Xie opened his eyes, a sharp glint flashing through his pupils.
“Qi Condensation Realm Fifth Transformation!”
He muttered softly, very satisfied with his accomplishments over the past few days.
“Unfortunately, this shortcut of refining spiritual artifacts is destined to become narrower and narrower. Now, two-star superb-grade spiritual artifacts no longer have a significant effect on my cultivation. I need three-star low-grade spiritual artifacts, but I’m only in the Qi Condensation Realm right now. In the future, when I reach the Cave Heaven Realm, I’ll probably need four-star spiritual artifacts…”
He couldn’t help but sigh. Although this method of cultivation is extremely fast, the expenditure is simply unimaginable, astronomical figures, difficult to sustain.
In this capital city’s Juba斋, there are occasionally four-star spiritual artifacts auctioned, but they are very rare, only a few pieces a year, and the price is outrageous, probably at least several billion gold coins per piece.
If I continue to cultivate with spiritual artifacts in the future, just take the Cave Heaven Realm for example, not counting the extreme realms, just the ten minor realms, I’m afraid I’ll need five or six pieces or more. How much money would that be?
Moreover, the quality requirements for four-star spiritual artifacts are constantly increasing, and the price is naturally soaring.
According to the information he had learned, in a city of the Great Zhou Capital’s level, the three major business firms only have four-star middle-grade spiritual artifacts at most. Beyond that, I’m afraid I’d have to go to a place like the Southern Domain Ancient City.
At that time, gold coins would be completely useless, and spiritual coins would be needed.
“My current realm is improving quickly, and I can take shortcuts because my realm is low, at most only to the Cave Heaven Realm. In the future, I still have to proceed step by step…”
He felt a deep sense of pressure. Compared to those outstanding peers, his realm was still too low.
Even if he breaks through to the Cave Heaven Realm in a short period of time by refining spiritual artifacts, he would still be more than one major realm behind those Star Chen Realm peers.
Fortunately, his growth intensity is very high, at the peak of the King level. Otherwise, before his realm catches up, let alone the Star Radiance Ranking or the Heavenly Pride Ranking, even those at the top of the Wind and Cloud Ranking would be difficult to compete with.
He deeply realized how important a martial artist’s starting point is.
People born in sects or aristocratic families have an excellent environment from a young age, and their growth speed is fast. The first ten years or so are something that a young man from a small city like him cannot compare with.
To make up for the gap opened at the beginning, it would require double the effort, or even life-threatening danger.
Leaving the Eternal Life Divine Palace, he looked at the sky. The sun had already risen.
He washed up, feeling refreshed, and tidied up his clothes slightly, preparing to go to the banquet.
Su Lan was already waiting at the entrance of the small courtyard.
The first time she saw him, a hint of shock flashed in her beautiful eyes.
“Young Master, your achievements in these few days have truly made Su Lan feel unbelievable…”
She was shocked. Because Jun Wu Xie was a body cultivator, although she could not see his realm, that aura was many times stronger than it had been a few days ago!
“It’s alright, I’ve broken through to the Qi Condensation Realm.” Jun Wu Xie smiled and said, “Are you also going to the banquet?”
Su Lan smiled and nodded: “The Great Zhou Emperor is holding a banquet, not just to celebrate the Seventh Princess’s birthday, but also to build relationships with the three major business firms and the Hunter Guild.”
Jun Wu Xie was not surprised. This was within his expectations, otherwise it wouldn’t be the imperial family.
The street leading to the Seventh Princess’s residence was very lively.
Along the way, various luxurious carriages sped along the center of the street.
He and Su Lan did not drive, but chose to walk.
By the time they arrived in front of the Seventh Princess’s residence, the sun was already high in the sky.
The Seventh Princess’s residence was located in the East District, where the environment was elegant and very quiet.
There were no commercial areas around, and the entire residence covered an area of thousands of acres.
In front of the residence was a very large square, and the sides were already full of carriages and palanquins.
There were four heroic female guards in front of the gate, as well as two beautiful women welcoming guests.
They all had a heroic aura, and there was also a faint aura of iron and blood.
Soldiers!
He instantly confirmed their identities, thinking that they should be Ji Yinlan’s personal guards.
There was a long queue in front of the gate.
The people who came to attend the banquet were orderly, holding invitations and presenting gifts.
He noticed that there were two lines here, one for checking invitations and collecting gifts; the other only checked invitations and did not collect gifts.
“Young Master, let’s go this way.” Su Lan pointed to the side that only accepted invitations, and seeing that he seemed to be confused, she smiled and explained: “Invitations have three colors: blue, purple, and gold. Blue is for ordinary invitations, purple is for high-level invitations, and gold is for distinguished-level invitations. Those with ordinary and high-level invitations will present their gifts here, while those with distinguished-level invitations will directly present their gifts to the Seventh Princess.”
Jun Wu Xie heard this, touched his chin, and said: “Yinlan should have given me a blue invitation. If it weren’t for my winning that sum of money with Ke Qing’s help that day, wouldn’t it have embarrassed her if I went inside without a decent gift?”
“Young Master is joking.” Su Lan’s eyes were a little strange, and she said: “The fact that the Seventh Princess gave the Young Master a gold invitation actually shows that no matter what the Young Master sends, she will be very happy.”
“The way you say that…”
Jun Wu Xie didn’t continue on this topic, feeling that the way Su Lan said it sounded a little ambiguous.
