“You again?” One of the female cultivators, who Ning Cheng had bumped into, looked at Ning Cheng in surprise before speaking up.
Ning Cheng also recognised this female cultivator. This woman had not only destroyed his battleship but had even coerced 100 million green coins out of him.
“Are you going to ask me to pay you a hundred million green coins again?” Ning Cheng coldly stared at this female cultivator wearing light-blue robes with an even icier tone. Facing Qionghua again, he could not break free from a feeling that he could not explain; rather, no one could tell it. In the final analysis, strength was all that mattered.
Although his strength had risen rapidly, even so, Ning Cheng could barely stand in front of that Daoist Priestess. At this moment, Ning Cheng had only one thought in his mind, cultivation.
He did not go back to look for Qionghua again; at this moment, it was nothing but a pointless endeavour. As long as he knew that Qionghua was in Everlasting Sacred Shrine, then one day, he would slap this Daoist Priestess away and take away Qionghua.
“Of course not, but is it not true that you bumped into me?” The blue-robed female cultivator did not turn angry and spoke with a very gentle tone.
Ning Cheng also gave a calm reply, “It is the truth, but with so many people on this public square, one would occasionally end up rubbing shoulders with others while walking. I’m sorry that I ended up bumping into you, but I had no intention of it.”
“I’m not saying that you intentionally bumped into my business. It is just a trivial matter. Anyway, since we have met twice already. I guess it is a sort of fate. Let me introduce myself, I am called Su Dai. What about you?” Contrary to Ning Cheng’s expectations, this female cultivator’s tone, who had initially tried to pressure him to cough up the money, remained very gentle.
Ning Cheng had no goodwill towards this female cultivator, who had wanted him to kneel to her on the ground, and calmly spoke, “I’m just a rogue cultivator, a nameless man.”
With that, Ning Cheng no longer wanted to waste his time talking with Su Dai and immediately headed towards Ziche Jun who looked at the entire proceedings from the side.
Su Dai bit her lip and stared at Ning Cheng’s back. Of course, she understood Ning Cheng’s meaning; that is, he was his own person and not someone who liked to climb up using others. Plainly put, this person simply did not put her in his eyes.
She had some curiosity towards Ning Cheng, especially since Ning Cheng was just a puny Celestial Scryer Cultivator. Yet, this fellow had readily taken out a hundred million green coins to pay her. Switched with a different cultivator, they would have definitely chosen to apologise to her by kneeling on the ground. And now when they met once again, he only mentioned a casual apology and even asked if he had to take out money. From this, she could understand that although this fellow had lost money to her, he did not feel even a bit afraid of her. Moreover, she also realised that he knew that she was in the wrong.
“Little Miss, this fellow looks interesting.” The green-robed female cultivator in seeing her Little Miss staring at the back of Ning Cheng added a sentence from the side.
“Junior Apprentice Sister Qiong, you saw it too. That fellow looked everywhere for a chance to meet female cultivators. He just bumped into a few people, and yet ‘coincidentally’ he ended up bumping into a female cultivator who knew him.” Jing Yiyi on seeing this situation spoke to Qionghua in a more flamboyant manner.
The Daoist Priestess, addressed as Sacred Master, who had pushed Ning Cheng back using just the pressure from her imposing aura, did not try to find him again on seeing that Ning Cheng had chosen not to come up again. Instead, her tone softened and asked, “Yiyi, since you and Qionghua are here, did the Celestial Scryer Cultivator who climbed to the 81st floor come down?”
“He hasn’t come down yet. Just now, a man had come out, and everyone thought that it was he and almost ganged up on that fellow. However, when someone looked at the results, they found that it wasn’t him.” Jing Yiyi quickly replied.
“Heavenly Emperor Levelled Heart is here…..” No one knows who called it out, but it immediately attracted a lot of attention.
……
“Brother Ziche…..” Ning Cheng had only just spoken the words when Ziche Jun quickly reacted and excitedly pulled Ning Cheng to the periphery.
Ning Cheng then patted Ziche Jun on his shoulder and spoke, “Brother Ziche, I know what you want to say, and I also know what you want to ask. These things, however, are secondary. The main thing is that you must help me obtain a jade card to enter the Immortal Jade Star. I anyway wanted to go into secluded cultivation for a while so I can only ask you about this matter. There is another thing on top of that which I need to ask from Brother Ziche.”
Ziche Jun forcible calmed himself down and spoke, “Brother Ning, just tell me, as long as I can help, I will definitely help you.”
Ziche Jun did not call Ning Cheng ‘Wanderer’ again but changed his form of address to Brother Ning again. Apparently, he understood that the name Wanderer could not be used anymore.
Ning Cheng whispered, “Brother Ziche, you already saw the brutal nature of that old Daoist Priestess from Everlasting Sacred Shrine. You also saw that the female cultivator whom I like is called Qionghua. You just have to keep an eye on her for my sake. Once Qionghua goes out alone, send me a message. If you think that the old Daoist Priestess is keeping an eye on her, then don’t send me any message.”
“I will get on it immediately.” Ziche Jun quickly replied. Initially, he had only initiated contact with Ning Cheng for the Rootless Green Bamboo Leaves. Of course, Ziche Jun also appreciated Ning Cheng a bit. However, now that Ning Cheng had managed to climb all the way up to the 81st floor of the Celestial Scryer Tower, he really wanted them to become friends.
He knew that Ning Cheng most likely had a secret, but which cultivator did not have their own secrets? If Ning Cheng held a heaven-shattering secret and he ended up exposing it, it would not bring any good to him. Instead, Ziche Jun would end up with one of the most deadly enemies. Currently, Ning Cheng still had relatively low cultivation, so Ziche Jun could use this chance to become friends with Ning Cheng. This way, he could also have a powerful friend in the future.
“Brother Ziche, when will the Immortal Jade Star open?” Ning Cheng asked with some concern. He was worried that by the time the Immortal Jade Star opened, he might not have obtained an entry.
Ziche Jun knew what Ning Cheng felt worried about and gave him a reassuring look. He then whispered, “You will have to wait until all the participating powerhouses from the different Grand Starry Skies assemble, only then will it open. Don’t worry, even if they all gather tomorrow, everyone would be informed about the opening.”
“That’s for the best. Brother Ziche, I will be taking my leave now. If you find something, remember to contact me immediately.” Ning Cheng said his goodbyes to Ziche Jun and quietly left the Culmination Public Square.
……
“Senior Apprentice Brother Wanderer, you returned at the right time. Master said that when he was not in the shop, Senior Apprentice Brother Wanderer would take care of the Artefact-crafting Store. I was worried and kept thinking about when Senior Apprentice Brother would return. Fortunately, you returned just in time.” Ning Cheng had just walked through the entrance of Baichi Artefact-crafting Store when that Junior Apprentice Sister Yan immediately showed up with a face plastered with that professional looking smile.
Ning Cheng could not help but think that this Junior Apprentice Sister Yan really lived in the wrong place. If someone put her on Earth, she would definitely end up as a compelling character.
Ning Cheng did not answer Junior Apprentice Sister Yan’s words; he just gave out a sigh and projected a face filled with sadness.
“What’s the matter? Is something bothering Senior Apprentice Brother Wanderer?” Although this Junior Apprentice Sister Yan mentioned that she felt worried about Ning Cheng, her face still showed the same professional-looking smile.
“Junior Apprentice Sister Yan, you can’t call me Senior Apprentice Brother Wanderer anymore. I have to change my name.” Ning Cheng’s face showed even more bitterness.
Junior Apprentice Sister Yan still showed the same smile as she spoke, “It is a very nice name, why would you want to change it?”
“Alas, it looks like a beautiful woman like Junior Apprentice Sister Yan just sits within the store all day. Must be quiet boring, ah.” Speaking till here, Ning Cheng’s words turned even more cryptic, “Junior Apprentice Sister Yan, don’t you know that someone managed to climb up to the 81st floor of Culmination Public Square’s Nine-by-Nine Celestial Scryer Tower?”
“What?” Junior Apprentice Sister Yan’s hands trembled. Even the professional-looking smile over her face disappeared. Instead, it was replaced with shock.
Ning Cheng sneered in his heart. It looks like this Junior Apprentice Yan is not simple at all. Judging by her reaction, she knew how difficult it was to reach the 81st floor. Even for himself, if he had not touched the surface of the Laws of Time, Ning Cheng really could not have reached that place.
“Since you probably stay inside for most of the day, you might have not heard of this news. This matter had even drawn the attention of Heavenly Emperor Levelled Heart. Most likely, Heavenly Emperor Levelled Heart wants to invite that fellow over to his place.” Ning Cheng did not hide this fact. In fact, he had heard about this from the mouths of others that someone by the title ‘Heavenly Emperor Levelled Heart’ had shown up. As for if this Heavenly Emperor really had the name Levelled Heart or Xinlou, he simply could not figure it out yet.
Seeing Junior Apprentice Sister Yan still showing a shocked expression, Ning Cheng simply sat down opposite to her and gave out a sigh, “Do you know what name this formidable character goes by, what else it could be but Wanderer.”
“You mean to say that the cultivator who managed to climb to the 81st floor of the Celestial Scryer Tower is also called Wanderer?” Junior Apprentice Sister Yan finally came to her senses and asked in surprise.
Ning Cheng nodded, “Yes, now do you understand why I need to change my name? Even if you say that many people might have the same name, but how could there be such a huge difference? Alas.”
Junior Apprentice Sister Yan finally calmed down and regained her professional-looking smile before speaking, “There definitely are many people with the same name. Senior Apprentice Brother does not have to change his name just because of such a reason. In any case, Wanderer is quite a good name.”
Ning Cheng shook his head and said, “No, I’ve been watching the events unfolding on the public square. After Wanderer rushed to the 81st floor, all the beautiful female cultivators on the public square almost looked swooned as they called out his name. They definitely adore him. If I don’t change my name, I’ll end up beaten after school.”
“Senior Apprentice Brother, what is ‘after school’?
“Forget it, you only need to know that if my name still remains Wanderer, a lot of beautiful female cultivators would want to hit me. Anyways, just call me Senior Apprentice Brother Ning from now.” Ning Cheng waved his hand and did not mention his full name. Junior Apprentice Sister Yan also did not press for his full name. In any case, he had no need for saying his full name in front of her.
Junior Apprentice Sister Yan showed a slight smile and said, “Although Senior Apprentice Brother Ning looks so concerned, such a thing would not happen.”
Although she said that such a thing would not happen, Junior Apprentice Sister Yan still replaced her form of address to Senior Apprentice Brother Ning.
“You think so? I was stopped by a female cultivator on the public square. If not for Heavenly Emperor Levelled Heart coming over, I most likely would have ended up on the receiving end of a beating.” Ning Cheng spoke while gnashing his teeth as he recalled Everlasting Sacred Shrine’s Daoist Priestess. One day, he would use his own imposing aura to push that Daoist Priestess back just like she did with him.
“Such a thing really happened?” Junior Apprentice Sister Yan also saw that Ning Cheng was not joking about it.
“Don’t mention it anymore. Master Baichi said that I could stay in his room while he is away. I am going to rest. If someone shows up for crafting artefacts, you can take their materials as usual and put them away for the time being. Master Baichi has already taught me all of his skills. However, if someone wants to craft a Spirit Artefact, please refuse them for now as I cannot refine Spirit Artefacts currently.” As Ning Cheng spoke, he walked to the second floor while taking out the jade card that Master Baichi had left for him.
“Yes, Senior Apprentice Brother Ning.” Junior Apprentice Sister Yan spoke with a smile. As she looked at Ning Cheng walking up to the second floor, she could not help but think, ‘no wonder master decided to accept him as his disciple.’ From the looks of it, this Senior Apprentice Brother and Master had a few things in common; at the very least, both of them had thick skins.
After Ning Cheng arrived at the place where Zhongli Baichi crafted artefacts, the smiling face of Ning Cheng immediately turned into a frown.
Although figuratively slapping Junior Apprentice Sister Yan’s face brought him some comfort, it did not help much at all. That kind of helplessness and grievance that came from the bottom of his heart could not dissipate naturally. Strength, he must have power. Once the Immortal Jade Star event ended, he would immediately have to find a place to go into seclusion.
