150: Chapter 150 Where to Next?

The Flying Boat pierced through the clouds.

The scenery outside became very simple; there were clouds to the left and clouds to the right. Occasionally, a Spirit Bird would skim past the gunwale, flap its wings a few times, and vanish into the white depths.

On the deck, Lu Chen lay in a Grandmaster's Chair with his legs crossed. He rested the sword-nurturing gourd on his stomach and stared up at the sky above.

The wind whipped past his ears, blowing strands of his hair back.

He took a deep breath and let out a long exhale.

He had been holding this breath for five whole days.

Peace and quiet at last.

He sighed inwardly; a world without Fairies was the only kind of life worth living.

"A great wind rises, the clouds fly high; where can I find brave men to travel the world?"

Whenever you encounter a Fairy, you must hide.

You have to hide. Just think about it: if you go to Jade Lake, the Fairies will demand you take responsibility, they'll get jealous of each other, and you might lose control.

Suddenly you'd be pinned down and drained dry. That's why days without the entanglement of Fairies, just lying around and sunbathing, are the truly good days!

The main problem was that he really couldn't beat Fairies; they had far too much energy. Fighting didn't exhaust them; instead, they became more spirited and radiant the more they fought. They were truly experts at tormenting people.

Remember this for the future: whenever there's a place where a large number of Fairies gather, always take a detour.

Jade Lake is out, and so is the Ice God Palace.

Days without Fairies, just lying in the sun—this is how a good life in the Human Realm should be.

Just as he was drifting off, a pair of hands suddenly appeared on his head.

A cool, soft touch landed on his temples. Four fingers curved slightly, their pads pressing against his skin, slowly tracing circles with extremely precise pressure.

Neither too heavy nor too light, the pressure landed perfectly on the Acupoints of his temples. With every circle, a trace of spiritual power seeped inside.

Lu Chen's eyelids drooped a bit more.

He glanced to the side.

Ji Ziyue stood behind the Grandmaster's Chair, her posture upright. The wide sleeves of her purple Palace Dress hung down, accentuating her slender wrists.

She kept her head down, her focused gaze resting on Lu Chen's profile. A faint smile played on her lips as she quietly concentrated on her work.

Sensing his gaze, the pressure of her fingers paused for a moment, and her Phoenix eyes flickered over to him.

Their eyes met for a fleeting second.

Ji Ziyue said nothing, withdrawing her gaze and continuing the massage.

She increased the pressure slightly.

Lu Chen: "..."

He looked away and went back to staring at the sky.

Fine, whatever.

He couldn't be bothered to wonder when this woman had become so attentive.

"Revered Master!"

Ye Qingxian's head popped up from beside the Grandmaster's Chair. Her large eyes were sparkling, and her hands gripped the armrests as she leaned in so close that Lu Chen could see her eyelashes.

"Where are we going?"

Lu Chen turned his head and glanced at her.

"I haven't decided yet."

Ye Qingxian jumped up.

"Then let's go to the Ye Family! My old man has wanted to meet you for a long time. If you go, my family would love to welcome you with gongs and drums and hold a banquet for three days and nights!"

"My mother said that as long as you're willing to visit the Ye Family, you can browse our treasury however you like and take whatever you want!"

She grew more excited as she spoke, gesturing with her hands, her face unable to hide her eagerness to show off.

To put it plainly, she wanted to bring her Revered Master home to brag.

"The Great Emperor has come to our house, and he's on great terms with us! Be envious! Be jealous! Anyone thinking of moving against the Ye Family better think twice!"

Lu Chen glanced at her and spoke lazily.

"I will visit the Ye Family; I promised you that. But not right now."

Ye Qingxian's eyes immediately brightened, but Lu Chen's next words dampened her spirits.

"First, we're taking little Ziyi back."

On the other side of the deck, Nangong Ziyi leaned against the gunwale with her arms crossed. Her peach blossom eyes stared at the clouds below, her thoughts unknown.

Her shoulders shifted slightly upon hearing this.

She straightened up and walked toward the Grandmaster's Chair, stopping in front of Lu Chen. She bowed her head and performed a proper salute.

"Senior, there's no need to trouble yourself with escorting me."

Lu Chen lifted one eyelid to look at her.

Nangong Ziyi's expression and tone were calm, far more reserved than her usual self.

"Once we reach Yunmeng City ahead, I'll disembark on my own," she said.

"I'll return to the Nangong Family for Secluded Cultivation. I gained many insights at Jade Lake this time, and I want to digest them while they're still fresh."

Lu Chen watched her for three breaths.

This girl... since when did she become so sensible?

He sank back into his chair and nodded, his voice carrying a hint of genuine relief.

"Good girl. You have a high level of awareness. In cultivation, the Great Dao is what matters most. I support you. Go on."

The corners of Nangong Ziyi's mouth curled slightly. She looked up and turned back to the gunwale.

Ye Qingxian leaned into Lu Chen's ear and lowered her voice.

"Revered Master, why are you so relieved? She's offering to leave, and you're this happy? That's a bit cold-hearted."

"Learn from this," Lu Chen said, tapping her forehead with a finger.

"This is called mutual understanding, do you understand?"

Ye Qingxian rubbed her forehead and backed away, muttering to herself.

As the sun set, the clouds were dyed a dark orange by the evening light. The Flying Boat glided steadily through them, its speed and direction constant. The entire deck fell silent.

Lu Chen suddenly felt a spark of interest.

Having escaped Jade Lake, his Origin was slowly recovering. The weather was pleasant, and the wind was strong enough.

In his opinion, a time like this was perfect for a small banquet—drinking a pot of fine wine and eating while looking at the clouds to celebrate his success: Karma fulfilled, and a smooth escape.

"We'll eat on the deck tonight," he announced. "Set the table and get some food ready."

Ye Qingxian's eyes immediately lit up, and she jumped up, clapping her hands.

"I'll set it up!"

Ji Ziyue withdrew her hands from Lu Chen's head, straightened her wide sleeves, and followed her.

Only Nangong Ziyi didn't move; she remained leaning against the gunwale with her back to the others, watching the clouds.

Ye Qingxian pulled a table out of her Storage Ring and set it haphazardly on the deck. It was covered in food and Spiritual Wine, barely passing for a banquet.

Lu Chen hung his sword-nurturing gourd back on his waist, moved to the table, and poured himself a bowl of wine.

Ye Qingxian squeezed in next to him and reached for some Immortal Fruit.

Ji Ziyue sat to his left, her movements far more elegant than Ye Qingxian's. She picked up a slice of Spiritual Peach with her chopsticks and quietly placed it on the plate in front of Lu Chen.

Lu Chen raised his wine bowl, took a sip, and said nothing.

Night slowly descended.

The Flying Boat's Array Patterns lit up along the edges of the deck, casting a pale blue halo that elongated the shadows of the four people.

Nangong Ziyi turned from the gunwale, walked back, and stood by the table.

Her peach blossom eyes scanned the table. She rolled up her sleeves and spoke naturally.

"I'll go brew a pot of tea," she said.

"Before I leave, I'd like to offer a toast to Senior."

Lu Chen lifted his eyelids to look at her.

Her expression was calm, devoid of any extra emotion; it was just an ordinary statement.

He watched Nangong Ziyi's back as she walked into the cabin for a moment before looking down to drink again.

He must be overthinking it.

The girl had just seen a bit of the world and become more sensible, that was all.

Ye Qingxian tugged on his sleeve and leaned in, whispering, "Revered Master, don't you think Sister Ziyi is acting a bit strange today?"

Lu Chen tossed an Immortal Fruit into his mouth and chewed, his expression unchanging.

"How so?"

"She's just too well-behaved." Ye Qingxian frowned, her large eyes glancing toward the cabin.

"She wasn't like this before. We used to bicker every single day, never missing a chance to argue. Today, she's frighteningly quiet, like she's unhappy!"

Lu Chen glanced at her.

"Enough, stop worrying so much.""}],