Chapter 1364: Myriad
Li Qingshan could not help but look at the only “mount” present. If he could ride her with her, it would be quite nice.
The nine-coloured deer flew into a rage, swinging her head around like she was trying to butt him. “Don’t you even think about it!”
Li Qingshan was not particularly interested in riding her, but now that he heard that, he instead became interested. However, it was obviously impossible now. After all, her cultivation was still higher than his. If they actually began fighting, he might not even be her opponent. He had to get permission from her master first before he did anything like that too.
Ruan Yaozhu smiled. “I’ll lead the way and directly fly over with you. It’ll be slightly faster than taking the ships.”
“Thank you, then!” Li Qingshan cupped his fist before smiling. “I originally had a mount too. Unfortunately, I left in a hurry, so I couldn’t bring him with me.”
The nine-coloured deer held her head high. “I wonder what kind of wild beast it is.”
Li Qingshan smiled. “It’s not a wild beast. It’s an avian, a phoenix.”
The nine-coloured deer blanked out before laughing aloud without any concern for her image. If she were in human form, perhaps she would be rolling around on the ground, clutching her stomach. “A phoenix. Hahahaha, kid, you sure know how to boast!”
As the king of birds and the lord of avians, the phoenix’s bloodline was obviously much more sacred and noble than the nine-coloured deer’s, but that species of birds had always been renowned for their nobleness and pureness. Even immortals might not be able to turn them into a mount, let alone a measly Soul Nascence cultivator, and a stinky man at that!
Li Qingshan sighed with a smile. “I originally had an ox too, but I lost it.”
Ruan Yaozhu suddenly noticed that while he did smile when he said that, his gaze was rather strange. It seemed to be filled with sighs yet also filled with hope.
By now, the ships had already set off. She said, “We should go too!”
The nine-coloured deer leapt up and arrived mid-air. She sneered. “Li Qingshan, I hope I can see your phoenix mount soon so that you can show me just which phoenix is blind enough to do something like that.”
Li Qingshan followed close behind and smiled. “You’ll see in the future.”
“Achoo!” In a certain corner of the trichiliocosm, a particular, blind phoenix sneezed viciously again.
Flying over the vast ocean, the curtain of night descended. The stars shimmered as the moon hung in the sky like a hook, illuminating the pure-white clouds.
Li Qingshan originally wanted to ask Ruan Yaozhu a little bit about the Myriad sect, but he discovered that he was unable to get anything in at all. She criticised him for gambling with Le Tian, and she divided this topic into two main points, Le Tian and gambling. She first went into the various dangers that were involved in gambling and gave a list of vivid examples before going on about Le Tian’s reputation in the Myriad sect and how he was skilled in gambling. In the end, she merged these two points together, telling him once again to not gamble, especially with Le Tian.
Throughout the entire process, her arguments were air-tight, and her examples were distinct. She spoke patiently and with great sincerity. Probably even old gamblers of several decades would repent of their actions and change their ways after listening to her. Only now did Li Qingshan realise she was actually so talkative despite how quiet and simple she originally seemed. He gazed at her face in interest.
“Are you listening or not?” Ruan Yaozhu said unhappily. Clearly, not only was she not simple, but she was even extremely clever and sharp.
Li Qingshan said in a hurry, “Of course, I am. Do you want me to recite it to you?”
“Forget about it,” Ruan Yaozhu said in exasperation.
“Don’t be angry. There are many detriments to gambling, but didn’t you win a match this time? And you had done so at no risk at all!”
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Ruan Yaozhu did not hide the gamble between Le Tian and the others. She did not even hide the fact that she had won a great sum of Green Jade bookmarks in the end. She attempted to rouse disgust for gambling in Li Qingshan. However, out of gratitude for her trust and sincerity, he did not become angry over the fact that he had been used as a tool for gambling. He had helped her win a match after all, or wouldn’t that guy Le Tian be all complacent right now?
Ruan Yaozhu said seriously, “The outcome of gambling isn’t about the consequences of winning or losing a match. If you win, you’ll continue to gamble until you lose everything you’ve won. The path of cultivation is about steady accumulation over time. This thought to take shortcuts is almost no different from a heretic path. It will affect your overall cultivation in the end.”
“That’s reasonable.” Li Qingshan could not help but admire her insight. “However, living in the world, there are always times when you have to gamble. Sometimes, you can’t even advance if you don’t gamble, so let alone losing everything you’ve won, even losing your life is fine. You were once honoured as a princess, adored by all, before joining a large sect like the Myriad sect. You even reached the fifth heavenly tribulation in such a short time and became a true disciple. Not everyone in the world has the same fortune and talent as you.”
Ruan Yaozhu fell silent for a moment before sighing. “You’re right. I am more fortunate than most people. I don’t know what you’ve been through, but you’ve already made it here today. You’ll be joining the Myriad sect as a formal disciple soon as well, with a very good chance at becoming a direct disciple. Are you still unable to loosen up? Must you gamble?”
Li Qingshan smiled instead. “If you know how I made it to where I am today, you would not be advising me to loosen up. However, there is something you’re right about. Once the gambling starts, there’s no end to it. If I can’t win to the very end, then I’ll happily lose everything!”
Ruan Yaozhu said in sympathy, “Don’t you find living like this tiring?”
Li Qingshan said, “It is tiring, but it’s also interesting.”
Ruan Yaozhu blinked her eyes. She wanted to say something, but she faltered. In the end, she still ended up telling him, “You’re a good person. I hope you can win to the very end.”
Li Qingshan said, “Thank you for your blessing.”
“We’re almost at the Myriad sect.”
The nine-coloured deer leapt through the clouds, and Li Qingshan descended after her. The landscape before his eyes suddenly lit up. On the distant surface of the ocean, a bundle of bright flames burned away, illuminating the dark night that was shrouded by clouds like a mirage.
As they rapidly approached the bundle of flames, the nine-coloured deer descended until she was virtually galloping over the surface of the ocean, stepping on the waves and shooting over the sea quickly.
Li Qingshan gradually made out the bundle of flames’ true appearance, but it also made him doubt his eyes a little, as that was not a misty, serene island for immortals, but a glorious city.
Skyscrapers rose up from the ground, except they were covered with fancy carvings and features. There were hanging gardens and foliage everywhere, like a classical garden stretched over three dimensions.
The skyscrapers were linked by bridges as rivers twisted beneath them. The lakes were connected in an unbroken chain like a pearl necklace. Suddenly, it turned into a waterfall that fell several hundred metres like the flight of a jade dragon. The crashing water could be heard dozens of kilometres away. It was grander and more unbelievable than any of the cities he had seen in his past life.
On the top of the mountain in the centre of the island stood a building several thousand metres tall, standing in the imposing landscape yet also seemingly drifting off. Its tip had vanished into the cloud layer. All the other structures gathered around it like the stars to the moon.
Ruan Yaozhu introduced it rather proudly. “How’s this? A little unexpected, isn’t it? The building is the Myriad sect’s most important holy land, the Pavilion of Heavenly Tomes. Be sure to visit there frequently in the future. I wonder which heavenly tome you’ll choose.”
