LABMY CH107.1

The carriage moved steadily along the wide avenue, drawing closer to the grand city ahead. The driver called out to the passengers inside, “My lord, we’re almost at Guyue City.”

It had already been five days since they left the Mu family estate. If Jian Yuanbai hadn’t chosen to travel by carriage and simply taken Mu Jingzhuo with him directly, they would have arrived long ago. However, as a Nascent Soul cultivator, he couldn’t afford to draw too much attention.

Only those at the Soul Formation stage and above could perform spatial compression techniques like “Shrinking the Earth into an Inch.”

Thus, they spent five days in the carriage. Most of the time, Mu Jingzhuo was cultivating, while Jian Yuanbai, with nothing to do, simply watched him practice.

Occasionally, when Mu Jingzhuo finished cultivating, Jian Yuanbai would take the opportunity to tease him, adding a bit of amusement to their otherwise monotonous journey.

However, the always sullen Little Spoon clearly didn’t find it amusing.

Hearing the coachman’s words, Mu Jingzhuo opened his eyes and let out a long breath. “Finally.”

Though he was considered the young master of a prestigious family in Taishi City, the Mu family’s influence was far less significant in Guyue City. Moreover, Taishi City was much smaller and lacked facilities like flying boats for cultivators.

This was Mu Jingzhuo’s first time leaving Taishi City to travel far, so he couldn’t help but feel both nervous and excited.

Jian Yuanbai, on the other hand, lazily lounged inside the carriage, eyes half-closed. “Once we reach Guyue City, we can rest for a day before setting off again.”

“Otherwise, after being cooped up in this carriage for five days, you’ll just end up stuck on a flying boat next.”

Mu Jingzhuo frowned slightly, clearly reluctant. “There’s no need to rest. The sooner we leave, the sooner you’ll receive your payment.”

Jian Yuanbai replied leisurely, “Look at those little trees and grasses along the road. They grow tall because they bask in the wind and sunlight.”

“Just like a child needs to breathe freely to grow taller.”

Saying this, he reached out and measured above Mu Jingzhuo’s head with his hand.

Mu Jingzhuo’s eyes widened in disbelief. “I’m only sixteen! How old are you? I’m still growing!”

“If you don’t breathe, you won’t grow taller,” Jian Yuanbai chuckled, his tone affectionate. “Little Short Spoon.”

Mu Jingzhuo’s cheeks puffed up in anger. “Stop calling me Spoon!”

“That’s a name only my master can use. Show some respect.”

Besides, his master was kind and would never call him “Short Spoon.” He was already 170 centimeters tall at sixteen!

But when he looked at the man stepping out of the carriage, standing tall and exuding an oppressive presence, Mu Jingzhuo couldn’t help but feel frustrated.

After a brief moment of hesitation, he mumbled reluctantly, “Fine, we’ll rest for one day.”

The security check at the city gate was simple. Especially since they were cultivators, the guards didn’t dare to question them too much.

Guyue City was indeed far more prosperous than Taishi City. The streets were bustling with people, both mortals and cultivators. The shops lining the streets were dazzling, and there were also many street vendors.

Jian Yuanbai glanced around and sighed, “Allowing cultivators and mortals to coexist in harmony… The Asriga royal family certainly has its methods.”

Within the Asriga Empire, there were countless sects and cultivation clans. In a way, the Asriga royal court itself was considered a powerful sect, second only to Wangyun Sect.

Wangyun Sect stood unchallenged as the number one force, while the Asriga royal family ranked second. The third was the Wenzhen Sect. However, some believed that Wenzhen Sect’s strength was on par with the royal family, and they only ranked themselves third out of respect.

As for whether Wangyun Sect needed to show respect to the royal family?

With absolute strength, there was no need for false courtesy.

Mu Jingzhuo nodded and added, “Besides the royal family’s authority, cultivators who kill mortals would also accumulate karmic debt, which becomes a burden during tribulation.”

From the Qi Refinement stage to Foundation Establishment, it didn’t matter. But from the Golden Core stage onwards, each breakthrough required undergoing heavenly tribulation. If one were burdened with too much karmic debt, they would likely die under the lightning tribulation.

They didn’t linger in the bustling streets. Instead, they found an inn and booked two rooms. Since they had no further use for the coachman in Guyue City, he unloaded their luggage and left.

Covered in dust from the journey, Mu Jingzhuo called for the inn’s servant. “Prepare a bucket of hot water for me. I need a bath.”

The inn servant happily accepted the spirit stone and replied with a bright smile, “Right away, Immortal Master!”

Although the innkeeper and servants were ordinary mortals without cultivation, they knew that spirit stones could be exchanged at the money exchange for regular currency, and the value of a single low-grade spirit stone far exceeded that of ordinary coins.

Therefore, the servant worked efficiently and soon brought the hot water, adding, “If the Immortal Master needs anything else, just let me know.”

While cultivators were not rare in the Asriga Empire, mortals had long mastered the art of flattery when dealing with them, always addressing them with respectful titles and placing them on a pedestal.

After bathing, Mu Jingzhuo hesitated for a moment before deciding to find Jian Yuanbai. However, when he knocked on his door, he found that the man was no longer inside.

He went downstairs and spotted the black-clad man sitting near the entrance of the tavern, smiling and waving at him.

Jian Yuanbai seemed to have discovered something interesting and pulled Mu Jingzhuo over to sit across from him. “Come, have a drink.”

He poured Mu Jingzhuo a cup of wine and pushed it toward him.

Mu Jingzhuo didn’t move. He frowned and said, “Senior, cultivators should abstain from indulging in worldly desires.”

The table was filled with all sorts of dishes, making Mu Jingzhuo frown involuntarily. Although he found this Nascent Soul cultivator rather annoying at times, he couldn’t help but remind him, “As a Nascent Soul cultivator, consuming too much mortal food isn’t good for you. Even if you want to eat, you should choose those infused with spiritual energy, such as the meat of demonic beasts or spiritual herbs.”

Among the dishes on the table, some contained spiritual energy, but most were ordinary mortal food.

For cultivators, the higher their realm, the more impure and contaminated mortal food became. From the Foundation Establishment stage onwards, cultivators would begin to abstain from food and live off spiritual energy.

Of course, he wasn’t concerned about Jian Yuanbai. He was merely reminding him out of consideration for their upcoming journey to Wuwang Peak.

Jian Yuanbai replied lazily, “It’s fine once in a while. Just listen.”

Listen? Listen to what?

At that moment, the storyteller in the tavern took a sip of tea, slapped the wooden table with a resounding bang, and stood up.

“Last time, we talked about how Shen Zhilan, the disciple of the Wenzhen Sect’s sect master, stormed into the Mu family to demand a marriage annulment.”

“Everyone knows that the young master of the Mu family in Taishi City, Mu Jingzhuo, was once a prodigy among geniuses. But alas, the heavens are jealous of talent. One night, he mysteriously lost his cultivation.”

“This Shen Zhilan, with her remarkable beauty and extraordinary talent, naturally wouldn’t recognize this marriage any longer. So, she led her people and charged into the Mu family estate.”

“And guess what happened next?” The storyteller glanced around the crowd, deliberately building suspense. “Heh, the situation took a dramatic turn!”

Mu Jingzhuo’s body stiffened instantly. Like a rusty machine, he slowly turned his head toward the storyteller in the center of the tavern, who was recounting the tale with great enthusiasm.

The entire tavern was packed with listeners, eagerly urging the storyteller to continue.

After keeping the crowd in suspense long enough, the storyteller began again, vividly describing the sudden appearance of a dragon, Mu Jingzhuo becoming the disciple of a great master, and the scene where the dragon soared through the clouds and escorted him to Wenzhen Sect.

Finally, the storyteller reached the climax:

“With a swift stroke of his brush, Young Master Mu Jingzhuo wrote a letter of annulment and, before the eyes of the entire Wenzhen Sect, declared those legendary words—”

Bang! The storyteller slammed the wooden table, his voice echoing through the tavern:

‘Do not underestimate the poor youth!’”

“F*ck!”

“Damn it!”

Somewhere in the tavern, someone cursed.

It was like a fuse had been lit, instantly triggering a chain reaction of curses and complaints from all the listeners.

“To be taken in as the disciple of Wangyun Sect’s sect master, how could he still say something like that with a straight face?”

At the table near the entrance, Mu Jingzhuo slammed his head against the table, covering his ears as if that would make everything go away.

What sin had he committed in his past life to experience such second-hand embarrassment?

And not just once.

Now, in a tavern in a completely unfamiliar city, he was forced to relive the entire incident, down to the exact words he said back then.

The worst part was imagining how this story might have spread across countless cities and countless mouths.

At this moment, Mu Jingzhuo felt like the Asriga Empire was far too small.

So small that there was no place left for him to hide.

He wished he were deaf.

Or better yet…

Dead.

In the tavern, both mortals and cultivators who had been drinking together expressed the same frustration and resentment after hearing the tale. It felt as if, despite being separated by time and space, they had been personally humiliated by Mu Jingzhuo’s words.

“Jing—”

Before Jian Yuanbai could finish calling his name, Mu Jingzhuo shot up and covered his mouth at lightning speed.

Mu Jingzhuo’s eyes were red with shame, and his ears were burning. He had to stand on his toes to reach Jian Yuanbai’s mouth, speaking in a desperate whisper, “Don’t… call my name.”

If the people in the tavern realized who he was, how would he ever live this down?

He wasn’t angry.

After all, those words were indeed spoken by him, and his master had done him a great favor. Mu Jingzhuo wasn’t that ungrateful.

He was just… deeply, deeply humiliated.

So humiliated that he was already considering changing his name and starting a new life in a different empire.

Jian Yuanbai blinked innocently. With his sharp and striking appearance, showing such a confused expression felt oddly fitting.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, though his words were muffled under Mu Jingzhuo’s hand.

Without saying another word, Mu Jingzhuo dragged him out of the tavern, practically fleeing.

Only when they reached the riverbank, where there were fewer people around, did Mu Jingzhuo finally let go of him.

With a flushed face, he muttered, “From now on, when we’re out in public, don’t call me by my name.”

“Why?” Jian Yuanbai asked.

Mu Jingzhuo squatted by the river, throwing stones into the water. “It’s… really embarrassing.”

Jian Yuanbai raised an eyebrow. “It’s just jealousy from others. Besides, this incident only made Wenzhen Sect and Shen Zhilan lose face. Why would you feel ashamed?”

Mu Jingzhuo glared at him. “No, I’m embarrassed too.”

Jian Yuanbai wanted to laugh but held it in.

He squatted beside Mu Jingzhuo, flicking a small stone across the water’s surface, causing it to skip several times.

He then asked, “So, do you regret becoming your master’s disciple because of this?”

“Of course not,” Mu Jingzhuo replied without hesitation. “My master is the best in the world.”

Hearing this, Jian Yuanbai felt an unexpected pang of guilt.

Looking at this earnest and sincere little disciple, Jian Yuanbai couldn’t help but pat his shoulder with sympathy.

Poor Little Spoon.

The price of innocence is eternal humiliation.

Although this wasn’t Jian Yuanbai’s fault, since he couldn’t change the fact that Mu Jingzhuo was destined to say these cringe-worthy lines, he decided to simply enjoy the sight of his adorable little disciple blushing and stammering through classic “protagonist lines.”

So cute.

Jian Yuanbai’s guilt vanished instantly.

The two sat quietly by the river, tossing stones for a while.

Eventually, Mu Jingzhuo pulled up a handful of grass, stood up, and patted the dust off his hands.

“Let’s go.”

Not wanting to return to the tavern, Mu Jingzhuo awkwardly suggested, “Wanna… explore the city together?”

Walking through the lively streets filled with people, Mu Jingzhuo gradually let go of his earlier embarrassment.

His emotions came and went quickly.

As long as no one around him mentioned that incident, Mu Jingzhuo wouldn’t dwell on it too much.

The further they walked, the denser the crowd became. Mu Jingzhuo frowned, feeling reluctant to squeeze into the crowd. Just as he was about to suggest turning back, a figure suddenly darted out from the side.

Before the person could collide with him, Jian Yuanbai casually pulled Mu Jingzhuo toward him, avoiding the impact.

The person who had been running too fast lost balance and fell to the ground. Mu Jingzhuo glanced at the awkwardly scrambling figure and still asked, “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, I’m fine.” The person patted the dust off his clothes and, after glancing at Mu Jingzhuo, asked, “Fellow Daoist, are you here to join the competition as well?”

Mu Jingzhuo was surprised, “What competition?”

“The one hosted by the City Lord of Guyue City, aimed at encouraging young cultivators. The prize for first place is a Cloud-Stepping Foal.”

The Cloud-Stepping Foal wasn’t an ordinary horse but a low-level demonic beast, equivalent to the early Qi Refinement stage. However, it had a unique ability to step on clouds and fly at incredible speeds. It was gentle in temperament and had the appearance of a white horse, making it highly favored among cultivators.

While its strength wasn’t remarkable, its rarity made it highly sought after, and each appearance could fetch a sky-high price.

Seeing Mu Jingzhuo’s reaction, the man scratched his head. “So you weren’t here for the competition? But with your strength, you could give it a try.”

“The competition is only open to cultivators below the Foundation Establishment stage. It’s rare to encounter a competition with such generous rewards.”

Without saying more, the man hurried off, “I’m off to register. See you if fate allows.”

Mu Jingzhuo hesitated for a moment and turned to Jian Yuanbai, “Shall we go take a look?”

Jian Yuanbai had no objections and followed Mu Jingzhuo into the crowd.

Oddly enough, although Jian Yuanbai did nothing, the people around them naturally shifted aside, unknowingly creating a path for him.

On the high platform ahead, a wooden sign displayed the competition’s rewards and schedule. The date was none other than tomorrow.

Mu Jingzhuo couldn’t help but feel tempted, “Senior, I want to give it a try.”

“If I can win the Cloud-Stepping Foal, our speed will be much faster than taking the flying boat. Plus, we won’t have to switch boats midway.”

Jian Yuanbai raised an eyebrow, “Do you have the confidence to win?”

Mu Jingzhuo shook his head honestly, “No, I’m only at mid-stage Qi Refinement. I just want to try. It won’t hurt.”

“Then go ahead.” Jian Yuanbai made the decision with ease.

Participation in the competition didn’t require registration. Contestants would draw lots on the day of the event.

It seemed more like a hastily arranged event, and from the chatter around them, even the locals had only just learned about it.

Meanwhile, on the second floor of a nearby teahouse, a young man in luxurious robes was watching everything unfold below.

“Do you think he’ll participate?” the young man asked.

The sharp-eyed servant behind him estimated, “He probably will. Mu Jingzhuo is rushing to Wuwang Peak, and with a Cloud-Stepping Foal right in front of him, he won’t miss this chance.”

“However, since he’s only at mid-stage Qi Refinement, there’s also a chance he might avoid the competition due to his lack of strength. But in that case, Young Master, you’d be wasting a Cloud-Stepping Foal.”

The young master sneered, “If he’s too cowardly to participate, it doesn’t matter if someone else wins the foal. I’ll take it back regardless.”

“And if he refuses to participate, you know what to do, right?”

The servant’s eyes gleamed with cunning, “Rest assured, Young Master. I’ll have people reveal his identity and provoke him into joining. He won’t be able to back down.”

The young master chuckled coldly, “Wangyun Sect rejected me, but accepted such a worthless coward as their sect master’s disciple. I want to see how Mu Jingzhuo can still show his face in Wangyun Sect after this.”

“If he dares to participate, I’ll humiliate him in front of everyone.”

From the moment Mu Jingzhuo stepped into Guyue City, this carefully orchestrated trap had already been set in motion.

Even the man who bumped into him earlier was sent by this young master.

When news spread that Mu Jingzhuo had been accepted as the personal disciple of Wangyun Sect’s sect master, this young master of Guyue City smashed everything in his room in a fit of rage.

He was proud and arrogant, and being rejected by Wangyun Sect was already a great humiliation. Yet, a “cripple” like Mu Jingzhuo was accepted instead.

He was only fifteen and had already reached the late Qi Refinement stage. In terms of talent and background, how was he inferior to Mu Jingzhuo?

Moreover, it wasn’t difficult to find out that the Mu family had hired a Nascent Soul cultivator to escort Mu Jingzhuo to Wuwang Peak. Guyue City was a necessary stop along the way.

Initially, he planned to ambush and beat Mu Jingzhuo the moment he entered the city.

But recently, stories of Mu Jingzhuo’s “glorious rise” had spread like wildfire through the taverns and teahouses.

It was as if the entire world now believed Mu Jingzhuo was destined for greatness.

This made the young master’s heart twist with even more resentment.

To vent his frustration, he devised this competition.

If Mu Jingzhuo participated, he would crush him in front of the crowd.

If Mu Jingzhuo refused, the servants he planted near the flying boat station would publicly mock him for being too cowardly to join the competition.

Whether he won or not, Mu Jingzhuo would be humiliated.

Completely unaware of all this, Mu Jingzhuo was about to continue exploring the city when Jian Yuanbai suddenly dragged him to another location.

Looking at the bamboo forest before him, Mu Jingzhuo was confused, “Why did you bring me here?”

Jian Yuanbai said with a serious expression, “Do you know that aside from cultivation techniques, there’s something called Five Element Combat Techniques?”

Mu Jingzhuo was speechless.

“…Every child on the Ninefold Continent knows that.”

“Senior, can you not put on such a serious face just to tell me something so basic?”

He had been carried here over the shoulder, thinking this person was about to say something profound. Yet, as soon as the man opened his mouth, he spoke about something even a three-year-old would know.