Chapter 55: Sect Elders Arrive in Quick Succession

(1/3)
Having finished discussing their three hypotheses, the two men immediately began to describe the marvelous and mysterious nature of the three supreme treasures to the gathered crowd.
A legendary figure like the Immortal Tianlin—anything left behind by him would be revered and held in awe by the world.
Not to mention treasures that he had personally utilized.
Lu Xiao listened attentively from the side, taking in their descriptions of the functions of these artifacts.
Yet, the more he listened, the stranger it felt, until it became almost unbearable.
For instance, the Immortal's weapon, the Langya Ring, was said to be capable of encompassing the entire universe.
That pair of Mountains and Rivers Boots could leap a thousand miles in a single step.
Although Lu Xiao knew his understanding of the path of cultivation was limited,
this sounded truly bizarre.
It felt as if these two men used to be professional storytellers.
Whenever they uttered descriptive phrases, grand and sweeping vocabulary rolled effortlessly off their tongues.
If one were simply listening for entertainment, it was indeed quite wonderful, providing an abundance of emotional thrill.
However, what Lu Xiao wanted was information—information as accurate as possible.
With such exaggerated phrasing, what they were saying turned out to be mere interference for Lu Xiao.
"The two elders from the Nine Stars Palace and the Xuanheng Sect were both injured by this supreme treasure five days ago, and have now returned to their respective sects to rest.
As you all seek the supreme treasure or watch the spectacle from the sidelines, you must ensure your own safety..."
The two men continued, but the latter part consisted mostly of empty rhetoric and clichés.
Before long, they paused.
After sipping some tea and resting for a brief moment, they would resume their tale.
During this lull, the surrounding tea drinkers began to converse among themselves.
Sitting to one side, Lu Xiao listened carefully to the discussions of others.
Some people thoroughly enjoyed holding forth grandly in public, basking in the gazes of others.
And Lu Xiao happened to glean some news from their conversations.
Whenever words were passed along multiple times, errors inevitably crept into the content.
After hearing them, he still had to expend mental effort to discern their truth from falsehood.
Amidst the general discussion, Lu Xiao grasped a piece of news that was mentioned repeatedly.
The elders of the Xuanheng Sect and the Nine Stars Palace were indeed injured.
Yet, following these injuries, the two major sects had each dispatched other elders to take their places, one right after the other.
"Don't just focus on the Nine Stars Palace and the Xuanheng Sect.
The Falcon Society, Misty Mountain Ridge, Flying Cloud Valley, and several other second-tier sects have also sent elders.
For the treasures manifesting this time, factions from places quite far away have all arrived..."
The surrounding tea drinkers chatted about the rumors they had heard.
Lu Xiao seized the essential points from them.
(1/3)

(2/3)
The Nine Stars Palace and the Xuanheng Sect were the two universally acknowledged major sects in Great Xia.
Their sect influence far surpassed that of all others.
Both the Nine Stars Palace and the Xuanheng Sect had displayed an attitude of absolute determination to secure this supreme treasure.
Yet the other second-tier sects still appeared eager to contend for it.
This demonstrated the extraordinary value of the treasures hidden here.
Even at the risk of offending the Nine Stars Palace and the Xuanheng Sect, these sects were willing to give it a try.
Throughout the entire morning, listening here and there, Lu Xiao genuinely gathered a great deal of news.
Among this news, a heavy dose of exaggeration was undoubtedly mixed in.
Portions of it likely became distorted as it spread.
Yet, out of all the intelligence, Lu Xiao could deduce one definitive fact:
The treasures here were fully worthy of the name of supreme treasures.
Even the most supreme powers of Great Xia were willing to expend massive amounts of manpower and resources for them.
Lu Xiao even heard that factions from the Cloud State on the western side had also sent operatives to infiltrate the area,
harboring designs on this supreme treasure.
Having heard all this, far from feeling worried, Lu Xiao felt it was even more advantageous to him.
The more factions came and went, the greater the crowd, the higher the probability of unexpected incidents occurring.
Hoping for others to turn on each other and fight might sound somewhat dark,
yet the outbreak of conflict was not something he had instigated.
He merely wished to join the excitement, await a stroke of luck, observe the top cultivators exchange blows, and draw experience and lessons from it.
Moreover, he had to be exceedingly careful on this trip.
If elders of the Nine Stars Palace and the Xuanheng Sect encountered danger and were injured, then if he were to fall into peril, the probability was that he would lose his life.
He could not afford to die; after enduring so much hardship, he wanted to live a good life.
And there was also Eryu; if he failed to return after a long time, even if it had nothing to do with him, Eryu would not escape severe punishment.
He sat in the teahouse until close to noon.
Unexpectedly, the teahouse began selling lunches, operating with a diverse menu.
When the waiter approached him twice, Lu Xiao decided not to linger and stood up to leave.
The meager amount of money in his hands had to last him a full month; how could he afford such extravagance?
Even if he had to buy food, he would certainly choose sustenance that could ward off hunger for a long time.
Restaurant side dishes were temporarily beyond his means.
The things he wanted to understand had essentially been inquired about by this morning.
Since they were all floating rumors anyway, accuracy could not be guaranteed.
That being the case, there was no need to ask around any further.
After a brief rest, he could set off for the region where the celestial phenomena had manifested.
(2/3)

(3/3)
It was now noon, and time for lunch.
Once he entered the mountain forests, purchasing provisions would become impossible.
Therefore, regarding today's meal, Lu Xiao decided to buy something right here at Liushui Slope.
He strolled around the area.
Liushui Slope was not large, and a few extra steps brought one to the end of it.
Yet there were quite a number of dining establishments.
Many of them had likely popped up recently; with such a massive flow of customers at Liushui Slope, no doubt countless people wanted a share of the profits.
Walking to the southern end of Liushui Slope, he spotted a rather dilapidated shop.
They were selling a kind of pan-fried meat pie.
Lu Xiao looked over and saw that people were actually lining up to buy them; the taste seemed quite promising judging by the appearance.
Judging from the storefront and the numerous diners, Lu Xiao felt it should be quite affordable.
Consequently, he joined the back of the queue, intending to buy one and give it a try.
The people in line stood at quite a distance from one another.
Many were cultivators, holding or carrying weapons on their backs.
Upon seeing weapons, people naturally and habitually gave them a wide berth.
No sooner had Lu Xiao joined the queue for a moment than two immortal maidens lined up right behind him.
Using his peripheral vision, Lu Xiao caught sight of their attire.
Exquisite and radiant, they appeared no less impressive than Xue Shiwei, the young lady of the Duke's Mansion.
With just a single glance out of the corner of his eye, Lu Xiao immediately turned his head away.
Staring fixedly at others was somewhat intrusive and easily led to misunderstandings.
"Sister Ruan, this batch looks like it's about to sell out. Waiting for a fresh batch to come out of the pan might take a long time..."
The maiden who spoke had a lively, spirited ring to her voice.
"Then we shall simply wait a bit longer; there is no need to rush."
The maiden addressed as "Sister Ruan" spoke in a tone tinged with aloof coldness.
It quite suited her identity as the elder sister.
The senior sister being steady and the younger sister being lively happened to match everyone's stereotypes.
Hearing this, Lu Xiao merely looked up at the shop.
There were only three people ahead of him in line, yet each seemed to buy several at a time.
At this rate, although a good number had just come out of the pan, by the time his turn arrived, very few would be left.
Lu Xiao waited with patient forbearance; he was merely trying the taste.
If it proved both affordable and delicious, waiting a little longer would be no hardship.
(3/3)