Chapter 59: A Drumstick Drenched in Cliche Dreck

Zhang Yuanxing and Uncle Xiong boarded their boat and left. Before long, they faded from view.

Fu Shan couldnt help but laugh. The son of the Zhang Family Head has sharp eyes. But its also laughable; he doesnt realize that youre like a dragon soaring through the heavens. How could you be as simple as he seems to think?

People his age love recruiting talents for their own use, said Su Yi offhandedly. At least hes ambitious.

Fu Shan nodded. Were he to ask any other talented youth in Guangling City, Im afraid few would have refused him.

The Cloudriver Prefectural Capital was the heart of the nineteen cities of the Cloudriver Prefecture. It was a far cry from places as remote as Guangling and Cloudfall City.

The Cloudriver Prefectural Capital was home to numerous factions big and small.?Of them, four stood above all others. These peak-level factions included the prefectural government, which served the Great Zhou Dynasty directly, as well as the prefectures number one cultivation faction, Blueriver Sword Manor.?The other two were large-scale family clans, the Zhang and Yuan Families.

All other local factions paled in comparison.

As the son of the Zhang Family Head, it was easy to imagine just how lofty Zhang Yuanxings status was.?Even Fu Shan had to treat him with respect.

As they conversed, they strolled toward the thirty-foot bamboo grove.

The bamboo was lush and vibrant, with a faint, spiritual mist lingering around it. There were only a dozen or so mature bamboo plants. Although there were numerous others growing nearby, they had yet to reach maturity.

Mature Bluejade Spirit Bamboo was only about as thick as an arm, and only about ten feet tall. The stalks were lustrous and translucent as jade, and they looked as if theyd been carved from precious stones.

Fu Shan carried a spade. He laughed, If any appeal to you, just say the word.

Su Yi didnt stand?on ceremony. He looked around, then?chose?one of the mature stalks.

Fu Shan immediately went up to it and used the spade to dig it up, including the roots.

It was, after all, a spiritual plant. Even its roots and leaves could be used to make medicine, while the stalk was a spiritual material. It was fair to say that every inch of the bamboo was precious.

Master Su, please take another look and see if any others appeal, laughed Fu Shan.?Hed brought Su Yi here precisely for the purpose of sharing the benefits of winning Spiritbamboo Island. This was also a way to build a closer connection with him.

Su Yi thought for a moment, then said, If youre sure, Id take another two stalks. Any will do.

The stalk hed chosen was of particularly high quality. With a few slight modifications, he could make it into an all-natural bamboo sword sheath.

He could use it as a walking stick in his daily life, and draw his sword instantly in battle. It would be extremely convenient.

Furthermore, this bamboo was a spiritual material, so it could nourish and protect Mortal Edge, too.

He planned to use the other two stalks of bamboo to refine a batch of talismans.

Rearing beasts and refining talismans, weapons, and pills.

Cultivators frequently engaged in all four. In the Nine Provinces of the Wilds, theyd already formed a comprehensive system of cultivation based on these skills.

Pick a handful of low-class cultivators at random, and theyd all have lots to say about any one of these four subjects.

In his past life, Su Yi had been honored as the Master of Ten Thousand Daos. He naturally wasnt ignorant of talisman refining.

Unfortunately, this was the Azure Continent, a spiritually-barren landscape.

Even if all he wanted to do was refine talismans, it was hard to find suitable spiritual materials.

This Bluejade Spirit Bamboo qualified as a tier-two spiritual material. It was just barely enough to withstand the power of basic talismans.

Su Yi naturally wouldnt pass up such an opportunity.

Fu Shan went on to dig up two more stalks of mature bamboo, as well as a?shoot?hidden underground, all of which he gave to Su Yi.

Master Su, this Bluejade Bamboo Shoot is a rare treasure. Its brimming with spiritual energy, and its flesh is a delicacy. Ordinarily speaking, few could bear to consume something so precious.

Thank you. Su Yi nodded his appreciation.

Fu Shan waved his thanks away. No need for such courtesy. If not for you turning the tides at last nights banquet, Li Jianyu would have seized control over Spiritbamboo Island.

Before long, they returned to their vessel and began their return journey.?When they reached the Apricot Clinic, Su Yi stepped out of the carriage. Suddenly, he said, City Lord Fu, I might leave Guangling City in the near future.

Fu Shan was briefly stunned. Then, he sighed with emotion, Ive long since predicted that with your abilities, you couldnt possibly linger in a tiny place like Guangling City for long. I just didnt think this day would come so quickly.

He paused, then asked hesitantly, Might I ask your destination?

The Cloudriver Prefectural Capital, said Su Yi casually.

Hed cultivated in Blueriver Sword Manor for three years, so the prefectural capital was relatively familiar.

Today, hed begun Refining Bone. The next step was entering the Qi Accumulation Realm. It was only in a prosperous area like the prefectural capital that he could find resources sufficient to meet a Qi Accumulation Realm cultivators needs.

Fu Shan nodded. When do you plan to set off?

Su Yi thought for a moment, then said, A month from now at the latest.

He wanted to wait for his little sister-in-law to get back first, and he still had to visit Mother Ghost Ridge.

Before he left, Fu Shan suddenly recalled something. Right, Master Su, how should I respond to Zhang Yuanxing?

What do you think? Su Yi asked right back.

I understand. After a brief pause, Fu Shan smiled. When you leave, Ill be sure to see you off personally.

Fu Shan and his group quickly left, while Su Yi entered the Apricot Clinic.

Sir. Hu Quan, Wu Guangbin, and the rest of the clinics staff set aside the task at hand. All of them, even the servants, turned to look at Su Yi.

Their gazes were awed.

Word of last nights Dragons Gate Competition had shaken both sides of the Great Azure, stirring up no shortage of waves within Guangling City.?Who could possibly remain ignorant of the fact that last nights champion was none other than Su Yi?

As such, by the time the staff saw Su Yi enter the clinic, the way they saw him had undergone a cosmic shift.

Everyone, you can return to your tasks, said Su Yi. After this simple order, he approached Hu Quan. Steward Hu, do you perhaps know which of our medicine pickers is most familiar with Mother Ghost Ridge?

Hu Quans expression shifted. Sir, that eerie place is dangerous! Under normal circumstances, its very rare for anyone to visit. What do you want to do there?

Dont worry, said Su Yi. I just want to ask a few questions.

Hu Quan mulled it over, then said, Thats easily done. The Wen Family has over a thousand medicine pickers on payroll, and theres sure to be someone with the information you need. Ill ask around for you.

Alright, Ill leave it up to you.

Rest at ease, sir. I guarantee Ill have this done within the day! Hu Quan pounded his chest and smiled.

Last night, he was fortunate enough to accompany Su Yi to the banquet. Everything hed seen and heard had practically opened the door to a brand new world, and hed spent the whole night awash in excitement.

He could brag about this experience for the rest of his life.

Su Yi didnt linger. He left through the back door, but surprisingly, when he returned to the Apricot Cottage, there was a beautiful woman waiting for him in the courtyard. It seemed shed been waiting for quite some time, too.

She wore a snowy white dress, and her hair was tied up in a bun. Her eyes were bright, her lips rosy. She was a dainty beauty, but her expression was pitiable, which gave her a certain moving charm.

His unexpected guest was none other than Nan Ying.

When she saw Su Yi push open the gates, she whirled around to face him, her jade-like features filling with delight.

But then, her delight faded. She bit her lip, and her beautiful eyes misted over. Senior Apprentice Brother Su, Im leaving Guangling City with Master Uncle Zhou today, but I couldnt help myself; I had to come and see you one last time first. Her soft voice carried a thread of grief.

Were Su Yi any other man, the sight of a weeping beautiful might very well have softened his heart.

Another man might assume that shed been unable to resist coming to see him. Perhaps her feelings for him were too much for her to ignore?

But it was as if Su Yi didnt even notice her. When he did respond, his response was completely off script. He just asked directly, Did you climb over the wall?

Climb.

Did I climb the wall?

Nan Yings delicate, grief-stricken face went slightly rigid. The atmosphere was suddenly uncomfortably silent.

But before long, Nan Ying stabilized her heart and sighed. Senior Apprentice Brother Su, I know what I said that day sounded heartless and mean, but if I didnt care about you, why would I have come looking for you that day?

True heartlessness would mean treating you like a stranger. If I didnt care, I would have just drawn an irrevocable boundary between us. Why would I have visited you again just a year later? Why would I have come at you with such angry nonsense? It was because I lost my rationality and vented a years worth of accumulated sadness.

That That was because I still cared about you! As she said this, Nan Yings voice was choked with sobs, and tears dripped from her beautiful eyes. She looked utterly forlorn.

Ill admit that what I said back then was hurtful, and I wont demand you forgive me now, but Can you give me a chance to assuage my conscience? I dont want to leave Guangling City still carrying this guilt. d new chaptrs on no/v/e/lin(.)com

Su Yi said nothing in response.

Nan Ying dashed up to him, frantic, her gaze pleading. Senior Apprentice Brother Su, back at Blueriver Sword Manor, didnt you say that no matter how many mistakes I made, so long as I changed my ways, youd forgive me? You. Surely youll forgive me, right?

As she spoke, she reached for Su Yis sleeves.

Su Yi stepped back, and her hands grabbed nothing but air.

Nan Yings gaze was suddenly plaintive. She took a deep breath, then removed an exquisitely carved jade box from her sleeves and gently opened it.

Inside was a chicken leg, except it had long since shriveled and rotted. It had a sickly, black sheen, and it looked downright vile.

Senior Apprentice Brother Su, do you remember? When you became the outer sects Sword Chief, the sect arranged a celebratory banquet. After the banquet ended, you came hurrying to find me with a chicken leg youd carefully wrapped in a lotus leaf, all because you heard me say Id yet to eat anything that?day.

Nan Yings gaze was suddenly nostalgic, a mixture of honeyed sweetness and grief. That night, I was so happy, I couldnt even sleep. How could I bear to just eat the gift you gave me? I saved it, because although drumsticks are a common sight, the one you gave me has an irreplaceable position in my heart.

Despite having the temperament of one whod lived two lifetimes, Su Yi couldnt help but suck in a breath of cold air. He pointed at the drumstick. You Have you been carrying that thing with you all this time?

Nan Ying whispered, Senior Apprentice Brother Su, Id rather die than lie about something like that

Su Yi turned and walked out of the courtyard.

This reaction was entirely unexpected.?Isnt he supposed to pull me close and wipe away my tears?

Caught off guard, she instinctively called out, Senior Apprentice Brother Su, where are you going?

Su Yi stood in the gateway, then turned and laughed. Isnt it obvious? Im going to find Ni Hao and repeat everything you just told me, word for word. Right, Ill tell him that dog blood, cliche-ridden dreck about the drumstick too. Im sure that once he hears it, hell see you in an entirely new light.

Nan Ying reacted as if shed been struck by lightning, stunned senseless.

Was my performance just now over the top?

If not, given my understanding of Senior Apprentice Brother Sus personality, my story ought to have moved him!

Chapter end