Chapter 22 Chapter 22

As soon as the two of them walked out of the gate of Zhaoxinju, Sang Ji picked up the little girl and held her in his arms, shaking her excitedly.

Yan Luoyue stared at him with eyes wide open: You want to throw me high again, right?

Let’s face it, a crocodile trying to do a high-flying front swing can’t be covered up!

"Haha, I'm just used to playing around with those brats at home. I didn't mean it." Sang Ji smiled embarrassedly and quickly changed the subject.

"The gilded plaque from the shopkeeper is a gift for you, right? You must have a keen eye when purchasing and they saw through your skills. My sister is really amazing. She can be so good even when buying an ordinary item..."

Sang Ji swallowed the last syllable of his excitement into his throat just when he was halfway through his words.

Yan Luoyue looked in the direction of his gaze, and the next second, she was immediately startled.

At the door of the imposing shop opposite, a tall and thin middle-aged monk was seen holding up his long gown and stepping over the threshold of Lu's Building.

The face of the middle-aged monk looked very familiar. He was the leader monk who had tracked down the little green snake in Yueming not long ago and claimed that he would peel off its skin and make a pen holder for the young master!

This monk was extremely meticulous and careful, even if he was facing a little demon girl, he would bluff her first and then check carefully under her clothes.

As soon as Yan Luoyue saw the monk, she subconsciously wanted to turn her head away, but Sang Ji was quick-witted and used the action of covering her mouth to fix her entire small chin.

In the next half second, Sang Ji's nonchalant voice echoed in Yan Luoyue's little head.

"…I'm so lucky to be able to buy something so ordinary. To celebrate my sister's good luck, let's go to the teahouse and order some tea and snacks."

"Okay, look, I've already promised you, so stop being angry with me and look back at me, okay?"

After saying this, Sang Ji slowly released his grip on Yan Luoyue's chin, motioning her to slowly turn her head and rest her head on his shoulder.

Yan Luoyue immediately understood the meaning and did as he was told.

Sang Ji held his little sister in his arms and walked briskly into the nearest teahouse.

He acted the first few steps convincingly, but the moment he stepped into the teahouse, his movements were so hasty that it seemed as if a ghost was chasing him.

Only after he asked the waiter for a private room on the second floor and sat down, and confirmed that there was no movement behind him, did Sang Ji let out a long sigh of relief.

"Phew - luckily, sister, luckily your brother didn't come with you today."

Even in very noisy noise, people can recognize their own names at a glance.

The abilities of high-level monks in this area are even more extraordinary.

They are very sensitive, and are extremely attentive to the looks and words directed at them.

People like Sang Ji and Yan Luoyue, who slowly retracted their weapons after seeing him, were just ordinary idle people on the street, and there was no need to worry about them.

But if Yan Luoyue glanced at him and then quickly looked away, it would show that she had something to hide, which would make people pay attention to her.

So, it’s a good thing they didn’t bring Yan Gan today.

Otherwise, if you do what you are told and scream out "Hey, look, isn't that who she is", it will definitely attract the other person's attention.

This is not Yuemingji where the demons reside, this is Ruyi City of the human race.

The teahouse and Lu's Building formed a diagonal angle. Sitting in the private room on the second floor, one could just see what was going on in their lobby.

Yan Luoyue pretended to look at the scenery, but actually her eyes occasionally swept across the lobby of Lu's Building.

As soon as the leading monk entered the door, the shopkeeper of Lu's Building came out respectfully to greet him.

The two men were obviously very familiar with each other. The shopkeeper of Lu's Restaurant ordered people to serve tea and asked the waiters to prepare snacks.

They talked for a while, and then the monk took out a storage bag from his arms and handed it to the shopkeeper of Lu's Building. The shopkeeper personally escorted the monk to the door, waved his hand and left.

Sang Ji didn't feel relieved until he was sure that the monk had left.

He handed the tea menu back to the waiter: "Bring me a pot of tea and these snacks."

"Okay, sir, please wait a moment."

"Wait a minute." Yan Luoyue called the waiter in a clear voice, "My brother and I are visiting Ruyi City for the first time. We want to buy something. Do you have any recommendations?"

The waiter put the towel over his shoulder and said happily: "What a coincidence! When you leave our teahouse and walk two steps forward, you will find Zhaoxinju and Lu's House, both of which are good places to buy things."

Yan Luoyue clapped her hands happily: "Lu's Building, I know these three words - Brother, look at the red seal, isn't it written 'Lu Bancheng'?"

"My dear young guest, you are really smart. The Lu family controls half of our Ruyi City's industry. The shop we rent is from the Lu family, the things we buy are from the Lu family, and even the city lord's aunt is from the Lu family. Isn't this 'Lu Half City'?"

"Oh?" Sang Ji grabbed a handful of spirit beads and placed them on the table. "The Lu family is so powerful, how dare Zhao Xinju build a magnificent structure opposite it and compete with it face to face?"

The waiter smiled and put away the spirit pearl: "You have it the other way around. In terms of who came first, the Lu family building was built last. Since the Lu family had a remarkable young master 20 years ago, the Lu family has prospered into the present-day Luban City."

According to the waiter, the young master of the Lu family is an incredible genius.

He started to cultivate Qi at the age of three, established a foundation at the age of twenty-two, and became an excellent weapon refiner through self-study at the age of fourteen.

Now he is twenty-four years old, full of talent, and able to easily refine spiritual magic weapons.

Most of the Lu family's industry in this half of the city was earned by the young master's weapon-making skills.

At this point, the waiter's cheeks lit up and he seemed proud. Even Sang Ji couldn't help but have a look of surprise in his eyes.

Only Yan Luoyue frowned slightly.

She didn't know the standards used by this world to measure weapon makers. But no matter how talented the young master was, his behavior was too arrogant.

Just to get a pen holder, the young master of the Lu family sent people to relentlessly hunt down a small snake and search Yueming Collection.

Yan Luoyue initially thought that the leading monk was quite crazy.

Now that she saw with her own eyes the three words "Lu Bancheng" printed on the signature, she realized that the Lu family's behavior was even more aggressive on their own territory.

Just at this moment, the old storyteller in the teahouse clapped his wooden stick and cleared his throat.

"Today we will talk about the new spiritual magic weapon that the young master of the Lu family has refined."

"As you all know, magic weapons are divided into six grades. The top three grades are immortal grade, heaven grade, and earth grade; the bottom three grades are spiritual grade, mysterious grade, and yellow grade. The top three grades of magic weapons have the opportunity to cultivate weapon spirits, while the bottom three grades do not have this opportunity. In today's world, those who can refine spiritual magic weapons can be called weapon refining masters..."

Yan Luoyue was listening attentively when someone on the first floor laughed and cursed.

"Hey, old tea man, even though you know that your boss has rented the Lu family's shop, it doesn't make sense for you to just tell stories about the young master of the Lu family every day. Today, you should talk about something new instead of chewing on the rotten tea dregs over and over again."

In the hall on the first floor, there was an immediate echo of voices.

Sang Ji whispered to Yan Luoyue: "Actually, I really want to hear it."

Yan Luoyue nodded silently.

But storytellers obviously have to give weight to the opinions of the majority.

He smiled and bowed to everyone around him: "Okay, then I'll do as you say. I'll tell you something new that's happened recently."

"It is said that there is a sect called Canglang Sect three hundred miles away from Ruyi City. All the heroes in the sect are physical practitioners. The disciples of Canglang Sect are good at uprooting a hanging willow tree, and their arms are full of knots of diamond flesh..."

Isn't the Canglang Sect the sect that has signed a medicine business agreement with them?

As the words fell under the moon, his consciousness straightened his back and pricked up his ears.

The storyteller spoke in a torrent of words: "...I heard recently that the Canglang Sect has obtained a new and wonderful medicine. Whenever a disciple of the sect goes out to fight and gets injured, he applies the black jade ointment. The wounds that bleed will immediately scab over, the broken bones will heal immediately, the torn flesh will heal, and the blood will dissolve. What do you think the name of this magical medicine is?"

The guest was so engrossed in listening that he kept asking, "What's your name? What's your name?"

Yan Luoyue and Sang Ji looked at each other and giggled like two little mice stealing oil: Of course it’s called sweet and delicious cake.

Bang! The storyteller slammed the wooden clapper.

"It turns out that the magic medicine is called 'Little Turtle Paste'!"

“Hahahahahahahahaha!”

"Yes, yes, yes. Physical practitioners always call their bronze skin and iron bones "turtle shells". This ointment has a concise and appropriate name."

Amidst the laughter and joy that filled the teahouse, Yan Luoyue's smile was the only one that froze on her face before it could fully bloom.

——No, wait, explain it to me clearly!

How did a good plaster turn into a small turtle plaster? How could it be a small turtle plaster!

She is not convinced?!

——————————

When Sang Ji brought Yan Luoyue back to the Turtle Clan's territory, Yan Gan had been waiting at the gate for a long time.

He stretched out his hand to hug Yan Luoyue back, but was grabbed by Sang Ji.

"Wait, man, I have to tell you something in advance."

"What's the matter?" Yan Gan looked at him puzzledly, "I want to talk to my sister about something."

"It's very important. Please come here."

Sang Ji pulled Yan Gan aside and told him about his experiences outside, especially emphasizing the arrogance of the Lu family and the leading monk.

"So next time we go to Ruyi City, if you meet that person again, you can't keep staring at him."

"Also, I see that the Lu family is acting rather relentless, so I'll go to Yueming Market in a couple of days to buy some costume items so that no one recognizes my sister again."

Seeing that Yan Gan agreed to everything, Sang Ji let him go.

"By the way, what do you want to say to your sister?"

Yan Gan pointed in the direction of the tribe: "Our great elder finally woke up from hibernation today and gave a lesson to the children in the tribe. I want to ask my sister if she wants to go and listen."

…

Of course Yan Luoyue would listen.

Although she has already attended classes in the school run by Guiyuan Sect, the internal counseling of the Turtle Clan is obviously more targeted.

For Yan Luoyue, who is about to break through the early stage of Qi refining and advance to the middle stage of Qi refining, this lesson is absolutely not to be missed.

Putting aside the matter of fiddling with the refining materials for the time being, Yan Luoyue was full of energy and rushed to the school in the clan territory on the spot.

She arrived a little late, and the classroom was already full of children from the Turtle Tribe.

Compared to other children in the classroom, Yan Luoyue was obviously the youngest, with the cutest body and the shortest and roundest limbs.

It’s no wonder. After all, most of the little turtles that were hatched at the same time as her are still chewing their little feet at home.

The great elder, with white beard and beard, sat upright on a cushion at the front of the classroom, facing the children of the tribe. He was not angry that Yan Luoyue was late, but just smiled kindly.

His large snow-white beard moved, and the sound came out slowly from it.

"Don't worry, just find a place to sit down."

As soon as the Great Elder said the word "urgent", Yan Luoyue had already sat down on the cushion. When he said the word "yes", Yan Luoyue had already sat up straight and had waited for half a cup of tea.

Silently rubbing the tip of his nose, Yan Luoyue thought secretly: If this were in a game, the Great Elder's every move would be delayed.

Fortunately, the turtle tribe does not have a flag-raising ceremony.

Otherwise, if the great elder were asked to give a speech at the flag-raising ceremony, he would probably read an 800-word manuscript from dawn to dusk.

The elder looked at the little turtles one by one with a loving gaze, and asked slowly, "Are all of you here?"

Influenced by the great elder, the little turtles also unconsciously drew out their voices.

"We are all here."

"Okay..." The elder said with a happy face, "Then let's start the lecture now..."

The old man with a sage-like demeanor slowly brushed the corner of his robe and took a sip of the tea.

Yan Luoyue waited with eyes wide open, and saw the light band of the setting sun climb up from her wrist to her knees.

"Listen - to - me. The prerequisite for us - the - turtle - tribe - to - practice - is - first - to - stay - alive."

Yan Luoyue: “…”

Listening to your words is like listening to a conversation.

The prerequisite for cultivation of every race in the world is definitely to stay alive. Do I need to specifically mention this?

As a result, a quarter of an hour later, the great elder said slowly: "Now, come, you all experience the state of being alive."

Yan Luoyue: “…”

Listening to your two speeches is like listening to two speeches.

She looked around and found that she was not the only one confused. The little turtle beside her also had a look of question marks in his eyes. She could print it out on the spot and use it as an emoticon.

Yan Luoyue waited and waited, but the Great Elder stopped talking.

Yan Luoyue had no choice but to feel his own breathing first, then feel the state of the spiritual power flowing through his meridians, and finally feel the storm in his head.

When she had finished feeling all of these one by one, Yan Luoyue looked around the classroom, the corners of her mouth twitching unconsciously.

At this moment, there were several younger turtles in the room who had fallen asleep due to the slow pace of the teaching.

The great elder finally spoke.

"The second thing to do in cultivation is to live freely."

"Come, let's experience once again the state of living freely."

Yan Luoyue: “…”

Yan Luoyue didn't know what "the state of living freely" meant.

She only knew that the lesson before her was probably that a turtle that has lived long enough can see everything.

Look at the whole classroom, half of the little turtles are already asleep!

The elder still had a cheerful expression, as if he hadn't noticed that the students below had fallen asleep. He picked up the teacup at a very pure turtle speed, took a sip, and then put the teacup back at an even faster speed.

"Then - the final point of cultivation - is to live a peaceful and comfortable life -."

"We - finally - experience -"

Yan Luoyue simply ignored the second half of the sentence.

She summarized her class notes:

1. Live.

2. Live freely.

3. Live a peaceful and comfortable life.

Good fellow, it turns out that the elder is also an excellent poet of the pear blossom style.

Seeing that all the little turtles in the classroom except himself had fallen into a daze and sleep, Yan Luoyue finally couldn't help but raise his arms.

"Elder, regarding the practice of Turtle Breathing Technique, I have a question I want to ask..."

"Don't worry." The elder shook his head with a smile, "You should learn this lesson first."

Yan Luoyue coughed and said, "I may be a little restless right now."

The desire to complain occupied her mind at the moment and she couldn't stop.

The Great Elder thought about it.

After two cups of tea, he raised his hand and made a gesture of patting Yan Luoyue's head through the air.

"It's alright, kid. I'll give you two things to help you."

Is it finally time to show some real skill?

Yan Luoyue widened her eyes in anticipation.

About three minutes later, the two objects floated in front of Yan Luoyue. Yan Luoyue only took a look and then raised his paws to cover his face.

The two aids given to her by the Great Elder were neither panaceas nor mantras of martial arts.

It was a small quilt and a floral pillow.

Yan Luoyue: “…”

I see. It turns out that the first lesson for you turtles at the beginning of the school year is actually to teach you how to sleep!

Yan Luoyue wrapped herself in the quilt silently and fell asleep. When she woke up, the morning light was dim and it was already dawn.

It was completely beyond Yan Luoyue's expectation that she slept for such a long time.

What was even more unexpected to Yan Luoyue was that in just a short sleep, she actually advanced from the early stage of Qi Refining to the middle stage of Qi Refining.

Off the score. Off the score. Off the original score.

Oh no, what happened?

Can you practice the Turtle Breathing Technique while sleeping?

Yan Luoyue held the small flower quilt in her arms in a daze. Even her two big eyes had lost their luster. She was completely lost in deep confusion about life.

Could it be that the true meaning of the turtle tribe's cultivation is that life lies in stillness?