I made the entire cultivation world cry

Chapter 409 The Rich and Powerful Liu Taozhi (Bonus Chapter for 2000 Monthly Tickets in July)

Outside the east gate of Qing Shi City, the place was bustling with noise, and cultivators of all kinds of clothing came and went in droves.

Amidst the commotion, an old man led two female cultivators into the city.

Shen Puning held the little wild boar-shaped pearl, stretched her neck, and looked around curiously.

Ten years of experience have made her posture much more upright, and her once chubby face has become thinner, but her enthusiasm and liveliness have not diminished at all.

"Baozhu, can you smell the fragrance?"

Shen Puning sniffed and followed the smell to a roadside food stall.

"What is this? It smells so good! Boss, this..."

"cough."

A cough came from behind her, not loud, but it felt like a bucket of ice water being poured over Shen Puning's head.

Shen Puning pouted and stiffly turned her head, only to see Xin Wushuang standing behind her with a bow and arrow on his back, expressionless, his clear eyes carrying an even stronger sense of oppression than usual.

"Wushuang, I'll just buy the smallest portion, just to try a little bit."

Shen Puning tried to squeeze out a few tears and put on her best-known aggrieved expression.

Xin Wushuang remained expressionless. "Puning, we don't have many spirit stones, and we haven't booked an inn yet. The expenses in Qing Shi City are much higher than elsewhere."

Undeterred, Shen Puning immediately turned to her master, Huiyuan Zhenjun, with pleading eyes, "Master~~~ Look at Wushuang, she..."

Upon hearing this, True Lord Huiyuan twirled the spirit tortoise in his hand, pretending to be deeply appreciating the faintly visible clouds atop Kunwu Mountain in the distance.

"Cough cough cough! Ah? This... oh? Over there on the mountain, wow, the spiritual energy there is extraordinary. Let me examine it carefully..."

Huiyuan really didn't dare to interfere. When he first took Xin Wushuang in, Huiyuan never imagined that Xin Wushuang would be like this today, and that he would be no match for him when it came to arguing.

If she said anything more, Xin Wushuang would ask him if, since he was cultivating the Tao and his mind, he should learn not to care about other people's opinions, so why was he so fixated on the wig that covered his head?

We can't afford to mess with them, and we dare not mess with them!
"Okay, I won't eat it."

Shen Puning lowered her head and looked at Baozhu, whose little nose was twitching, in her arms.

The man and the pig sighed in perfect unison.

Xin Wushuang turned and walked forward. "Donglai Inn is on that street ahead. Hua Gu said to meet me there in her letter."

Shen Puning, clutching Baozhu, followed after her, muttering, "Alright, alright, once we find Ayi! Humph, I'll definitely make her treat me to a big meal to make up for it!"

The three finally found the agreed-upon 'Donglai Inn'. The inn was bustling with activity, and the lobby was filled with cultivators from all over the place. The air was filled with the aroma of wine and tea, as well as passionate discussions about swordsmanship.

Xin Wushuang glanced at the inn's more luxurious decor than other places and frowned, subconsciously turning the storage bracelet on her wrist.

Shen Puning peeked out and immediately spotted Liu Taozhi standing near the counter, her posture as straight as a sword and her face beautiful.

"Senior Sister Liu!" Shen Puning waved happily and ran over.

Upon hearing the voice, Liu Taozhi turned her head, a genuine smile blooming on her usually aloof face. "Junior Sister Pu Ning, Junior Sister Wushuang, Uncle Huiyuan! I've finally waited for you."

"Senior Sister Liu!" Xin Wushuang bowed respectfully.

Huiyuan Zhenjun straightened his back. "Nephew Taozhi, thank you for waiting here. Where is Heying?"

Liu Taozhi bowed slightly and said apologetically, "Uncle-Master Huiyuan, Senior Sister is still in seclusion at the Sword Tomb and has not yet come out. I don't know exactly when she will emerge."

Seeing Shen Puning's face fall again, Liu Taozhi changed the subject, "However, Senior Sister specifically instructed me beforehand that Junior Sister Puning loves to taste delicacies from all over the world, so I specially booked a table today, all of which are local specialties. You all have had a long journey, please come with me to the private room for a meal, and we can chat while we eat."

"real?!"

Shen Puning's dim eyes suddenly lit up dramatically, her disappointment vanished, and she almost jumped up while holding the pearl.

"Senior Sister Liu, you're the best!!"

Liu Taozhi smiled slightly and led them through the noisy lobby to a quiet private room at the back. Pushing open the door, Shen Puning was immediately captivated by the dazzling array of food on the round table.

Steamed fish soaked in amber-gold broth, its aroma filling the air; a plate of beautifully arranged vegetables, vibrant green and glistening with oil; and secret-recipe spare ribs, glistening with oil and reddish-brown... The table is overflowing with delicious food, a feast for the eyes, nose, and palate.

Inside the private room, Luo Qingsi sat at the table, her eyes fixed on the braised pork hock closest to her. Every time her little hand reached out, Hua Gu, who was sitting quietly on the chair next to her and was about ten years old, would grab her sleeve in time.

"Sister Qingsi, the guests haven't arrived yet, so you can't start eating!"

Luo Qingsi could only pout in grievance, withdraw her hand, and continue swallowing her saliva.

"Senior Sister Liu, you are my own sister, and my benefactor!"

Shen Puning grabbed Liu Taozhi's hands and shook them violently, drool dripping from the corner of her mouth in excitement.

"Hua Gu!"

Shen Puning rushed in to greet Hua Gu, but her eyes were only fixed on the dishes on the table.

Hua Gu recognized them too, and smiled shyly, her face slightly flushed.

Liu Tao invited everyone to take their seats and personally poured tea for True Lord Huiyuan.

Hua Gu finally allowed Luo Qingsi to start eating. Shen Puning couldn't wait to pick up a piece of caramel-colored rib and stuff it into her mouth, her eyes squinting with happiness.

"It's so delicious, I'm about to cry! Baozhu, come and try this bone."

Baozhu huffed angrily, "You ate all the meat, and now you're giving me bones?!"

Liu Taozhi took the initiative to say, "Uncle-Master Huiyuan, Junior Sister Puning, Junior Sister Wushuang, you must have heard on your way here that the Sword Dao Heaven Ranking Competition was actually postponed for three years. This is all because of the efforts of Ancestor Yunye. The major sects of the Eastern Continent are already aware of the matter of Beixuan."

"This time, the three major sword sects of Zhongzhou took the lead and invited representatives from the sects in charge of the other eight states to discuss how to deal with the demonic tide in the future during the Heavenly Ranking Gathering. So these days, there have been a lot of cultivators coming from all over the country. I have notified all the cultivators from Beixuan who have fled to Dongzhou. They will come to Qingshi City one after another."

Upon hearing this, True Lord Huiyuan nodded excitedly, also missing some old friends.

Shen Puning and Xin Wushuang exchanged a glance, wondering if they would be able to meet their fellow disciples.

Liu Taozhi continued, "You can rest assured and stay here. Senior Sister had already given instructions, so I have booked five of the best inns on this street."

"Cough cough cough!" Shen Puning almost choked upon hearing this, staring wide-eyed at Liu Taozhi, "You...you booked five inns?! Senior Sister Liu, are you that rich?"

Huiyuan Zhenjun almost spat out his tea. Wasn't it said that sword cultivators were all poor?
Why is Master Liu so rich?
This tea is so sour!
Two barely perceptible blushes quickly spread across Liu Taozhi's fair and delicate cheeks. She lowered her head slightly and took a sip of tea, looking a little awkward.

"Fortunately, I've done some side jobs over the past few years... and made a small fortune."

Shen Puning immediately grabbed Liu Taozhi's hands, "Sister, dear sister, what kind of side business are you doing? Take me with you, I'm really about to starve!"

Although True Lord Huiyuan was drinking tea, his ears were perked up, showing great interest in Liu Taozhi's side business.

Only Xin Wushuang sat upright, her expression unchanged, showing no desire for the delicious food on the table, and silently drank her tea.

At that moment, several people's excited yet slightly anxious voices came from the corridor outside the private room.

"...When do you guys think the eleventh volume of 'The Sword Sect's Most Popular Woman Cultivates the Path of Ruthlessness' will finally be released?"

"The bookstore clerk just said it would be done soon, and that it would be printed as soon as Lou Tianji finished writing it!"

"Yeah, that's right! It's so frustrating! This ending is so suspenseful! Besides the main character, the other characters in the book are also written in a very mysterious way. I'm really curious now whether Suihan Jun and his nemesis Cangqiong Jun are actually interested in each other."

"Yes, yes, although it's not explicitly stated in the book, they've been fighting for hundreds of years. They always fight each other whenever they meet, which is completely different from how they act when they're around other people. It really gives you that feeling, hehehe."

"Lou Tianji's writing is really good. Even though it's about two men, he writes in a way that makes your heart flutter and you can't put it down. It's even more exciting than reading about love between men and women. I've never read anything like this before!"

"It's a pity that this book is being published by the Nine Heavens Cloud Pavilion's library, which has the highest level of security regarding Lou Tianji's identity. Otherwise, I really wanted to dig him out, lock him up, and force him to write with a sword to his neck!"

Inside the private room, Liu Tao urged everyone, "Eat your food, eat your food quickly."

　One of the pine trees' nicknames is "Lord of the Coldest Season," which corresponds well to "Cracking the Sky" and "Azure Sky." So you know what I mean. I wonder if Pine Waves will feel awkward the next time it sees "Cracking the Sky," hehehe~
　　*
　　A new month begins, please give me your guaranteed monthly votes!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)