Chapter 22 : Chapter 22
Chapter 22: Arriving at Artisan Heart Tower
How could Luo Ke possibly not be furious over Ning Ri being eliminated?!
He had personally picked up quite a few people from the Defying Heaven Sect for free twice already. After going back and forth so many times, he had become fairly familiar with Zhou Heng from the Defying Heaven Sect’s Outer Sect, and he also knew how difficult 【Defying Heaven Soul-Splitting Art · Ride-Hailing Version】 was.
This was a spell that, at a minimum, only a Foundation Establishment cultivator should have been able to learn.
But... Ning Ri, who was only at the Qi Refining stage, had actually managed to do something that only a Foundation Establishment cultivator could do.
If that was not genius, then what was?
And yet the Golden Stratagem Immortal Sect had let a genius like that slip away?!
How could he not be furious?!
He had personally delivered Ning Ri right to the sect’s front gate!
Damn it...
Aaaargh...
Luo Ke’s fury toward the disciple recruitment office reached its peak.
And the result of his anger was that the flying boat issued him a warning.
The reason was that he had shouted at a passenger.
That only made Luo Ke feel even more stifled.
Ning Ri, on the other hand, kindly set aside the great task of practicing his blade for the moment and planned to offer Luo Ke a few words of comfort.
After all, the man came from a great sect and was an impressive cultivator. It would not hurt to comfort him and form a good connection.
To distract Luo Ke, Ning Ri said, “By the way, Senior Luo, do you know whether Sunset Glow City has any local specialties worth bringing back to the sect?”
Luo Ke’s anger was not directed at Ning Ri, so when he heard that question, he calmed himself, thought for a moment, and said, “You have only just stepped onto the path of immortality, so do not waste the savings in your hands. The core of Sunset Glow City is Artisan Heart Tower. So other than the dharmic treasures from Artisan Heart Tower, there is no need to buy anything else.”
Then Luo Ke belatedly realized something. “Right, what are you going to Sunset Glow City for?”
Ning Ri replied, “A sect mission.”
“A mission in Sunset Glow City?” Luo Ke froze, then immediately reacted. “It would not happen to be forging a set of Qi Refining-stage dharmic treasures for Chen Xingfeng, would it?”
Ning Ri said in surprise, “How did you know?”
Luo Ke said, “Because that mission comes up every year. Golden Stratagem, your Defying Heaven Sect, and other sects all send disciples there every year as well.”
“What Chen Xingfeng wants is a full set of artifact-refining dharmic treasures. An ordinary artifact refiner in the Qi Refining realm cannot complete it, and most Qi Refining disciples in the various sects are still laying their foundations, so they do not have much time to come into contact with artifact refining.”
“So we usually send more experienced and more powerful Foundation Establishment disciples. I never expected that this year, it would actually be you.”
At that point, he revealed a faint smile and said with approval, “Ha ha, it seems your talent in artifact refining must be exceptionally strong. Otherwise, Zhou Heng absolutely would not have chosen to send you instead of one of your sect’s Foundation Establishment artifact refiners...”
Before he could finish, the smile on Luo Ke’s face suddenly froze.
Then, for no apparent reason, he let out a long sigh, raised his head to gaze at the clouds around them, and remained silent for a long time. Confusion, astonishment, melancholy, and even a trace of existential doubt flashed across his face in succession, before finally settling back into a sigh...
Ning Ri: “...”
Senior, please do not be like this. You are scaring me.
Senior, say something...
...
The whole way there, Luo Ke kept wondering whether he had offended someone in his sect.
Why was it that after he had brought such a priceless treasure back to the sect, the others had gone and eliminated him???
Why?!?!
Ning Ri, however, had no idea what Luo Ke was thinking. Seeing that his attempt to comfort Luo Ke had instead ended up provoking him again, he gave up on comforting him and turned back to practicing his blade.
He had to admit, the distance from the Defying Heaven Sect to Sunset Glow City really was quite far.
Ning Ri felt that the flying boat was already moving incredibly fast, yet even so, it still took him two hours to reach the outskirts of Sunset Glow City.
After they arrived, Luo Ke did not rest. He handed Ning Ri a transmission jade slip, then mounted his flying sword and hurried off to the next pickup location.
As Ning Ri watched the flying sword streak away like lightning and swiftly vanish into the orange glow at the horizon...
he felt that his previous thinking had been wrong.
Golden Stratagem Mileage was not Golden Stratagem Ride-Hailing. It ought to be called 【Golden Stratagem Fly-Hailing】 instead.
Then he picked up 【Golden Stratagem Mileage】 again and shook his head. “What a pity. There’s no option to leave a five-star review...”
He was extremely satisfied with 【Golden Stratagem Mileage】.
It was fast, the environment was good, there was no congestion, it was free, and it even came with a bodyguard from a righteous sect!
For a low-level cultivator like him, who still lacked the ability to travel long distances alone through the air, this was practically a pie falling from heaven.
That said, next time it might not necessarily still be free...
Ning Ri stroked his chin.
Under normal circumstances, it definitely would not be free. But the reason he said “might not necessarily” was because he was considering resetting the points on 【Defying Heaven Soul-Splitting Art】 before using Golden Stratagem Mileage next time.
He felt that if he did that, he might be able to continue freeloading.
If that worked, then it really would be both free and liberating.
...
Sunset Glow City.
This city had two main cities, inner and outer, as well as four subsidiary cities.
As Ning Ri understood it, the two main cities were basically the city center, and Artisan Heart Tower was located in the inner city.
Ning Ri entered the city very quickly. He merely showed his disciple token from the Defying Heaven Sect, and they let him pass at once.
Traffic flowed endlessly through the city, and people came and went in a constant stream. It was extremely prosperous, and there were clearly far more cultivators here as well.
The sunset glow spread over the fresh bricks of the city walls, lending the place a somewhat leisurely feeling. Beneath the walls, people gathered in twos and threes, drinking tea, playing chess, chatting idly, and making merry...
The location of Artisan Heart Tower was especially easy to find.
The tallest building in all of Sunset Glow City was Artisan Heart Tower, and there were road signs all around, so there was no fear of getting lost.
Artifact Refiner Chen Xingfeng’s craftsmanship was extremely formidable, and the Artisan Heart Tower under him was even more so. It drew many people to Sunset Glow City specifically to buy dharmic treasures. Because of that, the people at the Sunset Glow City Lord’s Manor had adjusted the city’s positioning around this advantage—
with the Artisan Heart Tower industry as the core, they had built Sunset Glow City’s cultural and tourism strategy around it.
Very soon, Ning Ri arrived before a tall building. Artisan Heart Tower had a total of one hundred floors, and each floor was quite tall as well. Its highest point disappeared directly into the clouds. Night had only just fallen, and the portion of Artisan Heart Tower hidden in the clouds was now radiating a brilliant yet gentle splendor...
Artisan Heart Tower had a bronze plaque hanging high above its entrance, engraved with the solemn words 【Artisan Heart Tower】. Inside the main hall, treasure-light flowed faintly, giving off an air of luxury.
At the entrance to Artisan Heart Tower, a handsome young man in a brocade robe asked Ning Ri very politely, “Young Master, are you here to purchase dharmic treasures, or to tour Artisan Heart Tower?”
Ning Ri glanced at the man’s clothes and saw that they were a set of dharmic robes. He thought to himself, Good grief. Even a receptionist at Artisan Heart Tower is dressed this well?
And on top of that, the man’s cultivation was much higher than his own.
Even so, when he received Ning Ri, he still wore a humble and gentle smile.
Ning Ri politely said, “Hello, my name is Ning Ri. I’m a disciple of the Defying Heaven Sect, and I’ve come to take part in Master Xingfeng’s mission!”
As he spoke, he also showed his disciple token from the Defying Heaven Sect.
The instant Ning Ri finished speaking, a trace of obvious astonishment and confusion flashed through the young man’s eyes. But he immediately adjusted himself and said, “Young Master Ning, those who are here to accept Master Xingfeng’s test are all waiting on the twenty-third floor.”
“I will take you up now!”
Ning Ri did not know why the other party had shown that expression, but he did not pay it much mind. He simply nodded. “Thank you!”
Then the young man brought Ning Ri onto the 【Cloud Ladder】, sending him directly from the first floor up to the twenty-third...