Tang Muxi and Jiang Yin moved with incredible speed, each step like a shooting star chasing the moon.
Initially, it took them an hour to go up and down the mountain, but now, with their cultivation reaching the Nascent Soul stage and the Star Shift Technique at their disposal, they descended from the towering mountain peak to the foot in less than a quarter of an hour.
As agreed, they were to meet at the beginning of the hour.
Tang Muxi initially worried that it was too early, and the darkness would make it hard to find each other.
However, upon reaching the foot of the mountain, she realized her concerns were unfounded.
A massive celestial ship floated on the flat ground at the mountain’s base, hundreds of feet long and a thousand feet wide, brightly lit, resembling a grand palace fallen to the mortal realm, majestic and eye-catching.
If it weren’t for Wen Mingyu waving from afar, Tang Muxi might have mistaken it for a noble’s leisure craft.
But she forgot that Wen Mingyu was the princess of the demon realm and the master of the Treasure Pavilion, far more prestigious than ordinary nobility.
“Miss Jiang, Little Junior Sister! Over here!” Wen Mingyu called out loudly, her voice infused with spiritual power, carrying far.
Tang Muxi, fearing her flamboyance might attract the attention of demon beasts, quickly used the Star Shift Technique to step onto the celestial ship.
“Sister Mingyu’s celestial ship is quite impressive,” she remarked with a mix of admiration and concern.
“But next time, maybe tone it down a bit.
Such a large, bright ship might attract unwanted attention.” Wen Mingyu was momentarily taken aback, then realized Tang Muxi was worried for her, and couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Little Junior Sister, you’re overthinking it.
This ship bears the mark of the Treasure Pavilion.
Anyone who covets it would be opposing the Pavilion.
Once a bounty is issued, cultivators from all over would attack for the reward.”
Since the establishment of the Treasure Pavilion, they no longer needed the demon realm’s support.
Although there were Nascent Soul cultivators stationed at the branches, their deterrence was not as effective as a bounty.
Money makes the world go round, a truth since ancient times.
Tang Muxi was momentarily stunned, not expecting such a strategy, and couldn’t help but marvel at the power of wealth.
But she forgot about the eight Hunyuan Trees growing in her medicine garden.
While she might not match others in wealth, her treasures were unmatched in the cultivation world.
No one could compare to her in terms of the number of Hunyuan Trees.
Wen Mingyu had never visited the medicine garden, so she was unaware of the situation, assuming her junior sister was indeed financially lacking.
After a moment of thought, she generously offered, “I noticed Little Junior Sister doesn’t seem to have a mount or vehicle.
If you don’t mind, how about I give you this celestial ship?” “Huh?” Tang Muxi was startled, looking at the intricately carved, grand celestial ship, her heart trembling.
“This… this isn’t right.” The celestial ship was not only exquisite but also made of precious materials, emitting rich spiritual energy.
Just standing on it made one feel clear-headed and comfortable.
The ship was engraved with complex and exquisite formations, making it indestructible.
Bows, crossbows, and divine beast images were placed in all directions, combining offense and defense.
Without needing to ask, its value was evident.
Not to mention, it bore the mark of the Treasure Pavilion, offering protection from the world’s foremost treasure house.
Tang Muxi was overwhelmed by the offer, while Jiang Yin’s eyes sparkled, recalling the makeshift vehicle she once modified, feeling the vast difference.
With this celestial ship, traveling with her junior sister would be much more convenient, sparing them from hardship.
To prevent the opportunity from slipping away, she stepped forward and spoke first, “My junior sister really likes it, so we’ll accept it.
But the ship is large; how do we control it?” Apart from teasing her junior sister, she had never been so proactive.
Wen Mingyu’s mouth twitched, almost forgetting the money-grubber was present, suddenly regretting her bold offer.
But as the master of the Pavilion and a princess, she had her dignity and wouldn’t go back on her word.
“The celestial ship has a control compass.
Once you set the route, it operates automatically, very convenient.
However, this one is already bound, and everything is settled, so transferring it would be cumbersome.
Coincidentally, I have a spare of the same quality, so I’ll give that one to Little Junior Sister.” As she spoke, she took out a storage ring.
Tang Muxi glanced reproachfully at her Senior Sister for responding on her behalf, feeling conflicted.
Although she wanted it, accepting such a valuable gift felt like a debt.
Jiang Yin, having been with her for a long time, immediately understood her thoughts and decisively accepted it for her.
However, she didn’t take it for free.
After a moment of thought, she took out a jade pendant and handed it to Wen Mingyu.
“Gan Sha is treacherous and won’t give up after one failure.
Now that we’re approaching the capital, we might encounter the Netherworld Talisman’s shadow again.
This jade talisman contains a trace of the Imprisoning Demon Sword’s divine power.
While it can’t directly counter a divine weapon, it can protect against mental interference and control.
Consider it a return gift for the celestial ship.” Wen Mingyu was slightly surprised.
It was the first time she received a return gift from Jiang Yin after dealing with her for so long.
As she accepted it, she curiously remarked, “Did the sun rise from the west today? Miss Jiang is being polite with me.”
“Master Wen, did you perhaps overexert yourself last night and haven’t fully woken up? It’s still night with the moon and stars out, where’s the sun?” After saying this, she let out a soft hum, “If you don’t want it, just say so.”
Sealing divine power isn’t easy.
Jiang Yin tried many methods before barely succeeding once, spending an unknown amount of energy.
Divine artifacts are precious, and Wen Mingyu feared she might really want to leave, so she immediately placed the jade pendant into her small world, deciding to give it to her aunt when she returned.
Her aunt’s spiritual foundation was damaged, and her Dao heart was in turmoil.
If she were further tainted by the Netherworld Talisman, she might go mad and face dire consequences.
“Miss Jiang, do you have more of these jade talismans?” Wen Mingyu thought of the unreliable Bai Ling and hoped to get one for her too.
“I’m willing to offer another celestial boat as a gift.”
Jiang Yin was about to shake her head at the first half of the sentence, but upon hearing the offer of a celestial boat, she reluctantly nodded, “I only have this one right now, but if you’re not in a hurry, I can make another in a few days.”
“Deal.” Wen Mingyu agreed, then happily led the two to choose their rooms.
This celestial boat looked massive from the outside, and inside it was even more spacious, with dozens of rooms, each beautifully wide, complete with tables, chairs, and beds.
Tang Muxi didn’t like dark places, so she chose the room at the top.
It was not only well-ventilated but also bright.
Every day, she could pull back the silk curtains to see the sunlight outside.
Jiang Yin wasn’t fond of overly bright places, but seeing her junior sister so enthusiastic, she kept silent.
Though she often told her junior sister to listen, in many cases, it was she who accommodated the other.
She never spoke of it, keeping this tolerance in her heart.
After choosing their rooms, they went to find Wen Fei and Bai Ling to dine together.
Unexpectedly, there were other familiar faces.
“Miss Jiang, Miss Tang, long time no see.” Xia Qing stood up to greet them as they entered, and beside him was the long-unseen Xu Qingwan.
The evil spirit was gone, but having been married, it was hard to sever ties.
Xu Qingwan’s face was slightly pale, with constant worry between her brows, showing she hadn’t moved on from her husband’s matter.
Tang Muxi was surprised to see someone from the Xia family and returned the greeting, asking, “Why are you here too?” Xia Qing looked awkward and didn’t speak, but Xu Qingwan took over, “Thank you for your help last time.
I heard the master plans to go to Panlong Capital, so I volunteered to follow.
Besides repaying the favor, I also want to avenge my husband.
I hope you two don’t mind.”
So they were here to settle scores with Gan Sha.
Tang Muxi quickly waved her hand, “You’re joking, madam.
With your help, Senior Sister and I couldn’t be more grateful, let alone mind.”
Xu Qingwan nodded slightly, a faint smile on her lips, “Thank you.”
Wen Fei, seeing they had talked enough, pulled them to sit down, “Alright, let’s eat quickly before it gets cold.”
This stopped the small talk, and they began to eat.
However, since they hadn’t fully discussed the personnel and itinerary, they couldn’t remain silent.
While eating, Wen Mingyu occasionally put down her chopsticks to inform them of the current plan.
“Besides us, there are fourteen Nascent Soul cultivators and two Soul Transformation cultivators, all friendly rogue cultivators associated with the Treasure Pavilion, whom we can temporarily trust.
But I haven’t told them about the divine artifact.
If we really face Gan Sha and the Nine Sha Hall, we’ll have to rely on ourselves.”
No matter how friendly, they weren’t deeply known, and couldn’t be relied upon in critical moments.
The divine artifact is a significant matter, not something ordinary cultivators can handle.
It would be up to Jiang Yin and her junior sister.
After all, among them, only the Imprisoning Demon Sword and the Illusion God had the power to fight.
“But don’t worry, I’ve already requested reinforcements from the Empress.
They should join us in a few days.”
“The capital is far from here, with strict checks, likely taking two to three days to reach.
Once we arrive, let’s not act rashly.
Wait for the demon realm people to come, then think about how to enter the city.”
“What do you think?” Wen Mingyu finished and asked Tang Muxi and Jiang Yin for their thoughts.
Tang Muxi naturally had no objections.
Having help was already a blessing.
Jiang Yin was different.
Naturally suspicious, upon hearing that the demon realm was also sending people, she couldn’t help but frown, “Can we trust the people sent by the demon realm?” Such a blunt question was akin to embarrassing Wen Mingyu on the spot.
Her face immediately turned a bit sour, but she responded earnestly, “They are loyal subordinates and friends, with deep ties.
Naturally, they can be trusted.”
Jiang Yin nodded on the surface, but in her heart, she had already excluded those people.
In her previous life, she never had friends and didn’t believe in the so-called “friends who would take a knife for you.” To her, cultivators were selfish and self-serving, always ready to betray.
Except for the foolish Tang Muxi and Bai Ling, she couldn’t fully trust even Wen Mingyu and Wen Fei.
Jiang Yin had already prepared for the worst.
If it truly came to it, she would abandon others and leave with her junior sister.
Seeing the atmosphere become a bit tense, Tang Muxi quickly tried to lighten the mood, “Since they are Mingyu’s friends, of course, they can be trusted.
Senior Sister, you’re just talking nonsense again.” Jiang Yin gave her a faint glance, pretending not to notice her poor acting.
However, thanks to her intervention, the atmosphere did improve somewhat.
The topic was thus brushed aside, and Tang Muxi, as the mood moderator, naturally didn’t stop talking.
She asked about Lady Xu’s affairs one moment and shared recent amusing stories the next, making the atmosphere lively.
Jiang Yin disliked her junior sister’s pretense of being all things to all people, but knowing her kind heart, she didn’t cause her any more trouble.
The meal started at the hour of Mao and didn’t end until nearly the hour of Chen.
While they were chatting enthusiastically, the immortal boat had already started moving slowly.
After passing through the city to pick up the grand gift promised by the pavilion master, it flew all the way towards Panlong City.
