Chapter 757: Harvest

He slowly exhaled a breath of hot, turbid air, calming the surging qi, blood, and True Essence within him before walking out of the cave.

Outside, the sky had brightened. The rain had passed and the sky was clear, the surface of the lake shimmering with light.

Ruan Lingxiu had also finished her Cultivation and was standing nearby, waiting.

The aura around her was more harmonious and full, a clear sign that her Cultivation had made significant progress. After consuming the Thunder Profound Fruit, her qi and blood were abundant, and the flow of her True Essence had gained a trace of spiritual agility.

‘When she returns to the Sect and enters seclusion for a while, her strength will surely increase again.’

Sensing that Chen Qing had emerged, Ruan Lingxiu turned around and said with a lovely smile, “Brother Chen, your aura has grown even more profound. Your gains must have been substantial.”

Chen Qing smiled faintly and replied in a calm tone, “I made some minor gains. Junior Sister Ruan has also improved a great deal.”

His Dragon Elephant Wisdom Vajra Body had broken through to the Fifth Layer, causing a massive increase in his power. The strength of his Flesh Body had skyrocketed, and he had even gained a preliminary grasp of the Dragon Elephant Power Divine Technique. This was a trump card he would not easily reveal to others.

His gaze swept over the area, but he didn’t see the massive corpse of the Cyan Profound King Snake. ‘Ruan Lingxiu must have already used her family’s internal channels to properly handle and transport the flesh, sinew, bones, and Scale Armor.’

The Ruan Family was considered one of the great Noble Families and Clans within the Celestial Treasure Upper Sect and even the entire Yan Country, possessing their own resources and connections.

Ruan Lingxiu’s smile faded, and she said seriously, “The spoils have been cleared. We’ve been delayed by a day, so we should go meet up with the people from the Cloud Water Upper Sect. We mustn’t neglect our official business.”

Chen Qing nodded. “As we should.”

The two then summoned the Golden Feathered Eagles that were resting nearby. Mounting the pair of magnificent flying beasts, they soared into the sky and sped toward the southwest.

Longze Lake was vast, stretching for a thousand li, and its surroundings were not entirely wilderness.

Aside from the Black Water Giant City to the southeast, which had built its massive foundation on the convenience of the waterways, the lakeshore was also dotted with numerous cities and towns that survived on the great marsh’s resources.

The meeting point agreed upon by the Celestial Treasure Upper Sect and the Cloud Water Upper Sect this time was a prosperous little town named Yanbo Town on the western shore of Longze Lake.

The town was named for the wondrous misty waves on the lake and was a small hub for both land and water transportation in the surrounding area. Merchants and travelers came and went, creating a motley crowd of all sorts.

Chen Qing and Ruan Lingxiu landed outside the town, put away their Golden Feathered Eagles, and walked into town on foot.

Most of the buildings in town were built along the water, giving it a strong waterside village atmosphere. The air was filled with a faint dampness and the smell of fish.

The two soon found the only decent-looking restaurant in town—Wangze Tower.

Just as they stepped into the restaurant, a middle-aged man came up to greet them. His gaze swept over the Tokens at Chen Qing’s and Ruan Lingxiu’s waists before he clasped his fist and said in a low voice, “I am Shi Xuan of Lingfeng Peak. Might you be Brother Chen Qing and Sister Ruan Lingxiu?”

“We are.” Chen Qing took out his Dubhe Pavilion Token and briefly displayed it.

Lingfeng Peak was one of the thirty-six peaks of the Celestial Treasure Upper Sect, specifically responsible for intelligence gathering, analysis, and transmission. Its disciples were mostly skilled in various intelligence techniques such as Tracking, Concealment, disguise, and espionage.

The thirty-six peaks of the Celestial Treasure Upper Sect each had their own duties. The organization was vast and complex, with a clear division of labor, resembling a miniature feudal state system.

After verifying the Token, Shi Xuan’s attitude became even more respectful. “You two have had a long journey. Please, follow me.”

He led the two of them to a quiet guest room in the restaurant’s rear courtyard and closed the door.

Chen Qing didn’t like to beat around the bush and got straight to the point. “Junior Brother Shi, have the people from the Cloud Water Upper Sect all arrived?”

Longze Lake was well within the Cloud Water Upper Sect’s sphere of influence, so by rights, they were the hosts. Considering he and Ruan Lingxiu had been delayed a full day by the Cyan Profound King Snake, the people from the Cloud Water Upper Sect should have arrived long ago.

Upon hearing this, a wry smile appeared on Shi Xuan’s face. He shook his head and said, “They arrived, but then they left.”

“Left?”

Ruan Lingxiu’s delicate brows furrowed. “What do you mean? They invited our Sect to a joint operation, yet they arrive only to leave again. What is the meaning of this?”

Shi Xuan explained, “Three people came from the Cloud Water Upper Sect—two men and a woman. Our investigation shows they are all rather outstanding True Disciples within their Sect. One of the men and the woman were quite arrogant, their words filled with disdain for our Sect. The other man’s attitude was relatively moderate. They left a message saying that for exterminating the Demon Sect, it’s every man for himself and there’s no need to act together. Then, they simply left.”

“Hmph, that Cloud Water Upper Sect really is arrogant!” Ruan Lingxiu snorted coldly, clearly very displeased with their attitude.

They were the ones who proposed the joint operation, yet now they put on such an act. It was simply too rude.