The Villain's White Lotus Halo

16

Chapter 16: Trimming Candles1 (I)

There were many ways for cultivators to travel. For those above the Sage realm, they could ride the draft of the wind and travel thousands of li2 in a single day, or know the heavenly methods of splitting apart space and time. And as long as one stepped into the doorway of cultivation, these people could consume their true essence to enhance their speed, or perhaps activate their spiritual artifacts or make use of spiritual beasts.

It was only a pity that in the current world, after experiencing the 'End of the Spiritualism Era', the spiritual artifacts for travelling were rarely used by even the large Sects, and spiritual beasts were even more seldom utilized. This was because the survival requirements for spiritual beasts were demanding. Not only did they require a Heavenly spiritual vein to support their well-being, they also needed a Master who they had genuinely acknowledged.

Reportedly, His Highness the Emperor of the Northern Continent——one of the six Sages——kept four blue-winged luan3 to pull his imperial carriage. Every year, they consumed eight hundred thousand crystal stones and sixty thousand catties4 of tourmaline cinnabars.

Under the heavens, the people who could commit their resources to this degree could be counted on one's fingers.

With regards to Yin BiYue and his party's current cultivation realms, if they urged their true essence to the extreme, it would merely take half a month to cross the sea and rush to the Northern Continent. But, in Duan ChongXuan's words, 'It's rare to make a trip off the mountain. There's still enough time, so why should we be anxious about hastening our journey? Eldest senior-apprentice brother's wish was also to let us wander about more.'

Toward this, Yin BiYue didn't have any complaints, because he wanted to understand this world a bit more. Even though his memories were comprised of the information recorded in countless ancient scrolls, how could they compare to real experience?

After seeing how he had nodded his head, Luo MingChuan also nodded in agreement.

After leaving the boundaries of Cang Ya Mountain's land, they would pass Jin5 City, Yang6 City, and the Pan Long7 mountain range via the fourth main road of the Western Continent. They would head southward, embarking on a ship to leave the Western Continent and crossing over Fu Kong8 Sea. Ultimately, they would meet up with the other Cang Ya Mountain disciples in the Ye9 City of the Southern Continent, before heading toward Zhong Ming Mountain together.

This was their predicted itinerary. To be more precise, it was the route Liu QiShuang had repeatedly thought over, before she finally decided on this. Although it was unlikely they would have a smooth and peaceful journey, they could avoid the extremely dangerous places like the 'Shi Wan Mountain'.

In the Jin City that was bustling with horses and carriages, they visited a teahouse and overheard a storyteller gossiping with the customers. In fact, the teahouse, jam-packed with customers, was hyping up the Flower Picking Festival with extravagant embellishments.

In Yang City, they took off their Taoist robes and bought clothes and ornaments of the common folk. Quicker than a whip can crack, their outfits changed and they looked like three young nobles who had left home to study.

What made Yin BiYue surprised was that, as they journeyed on the road, the chatterbox and Luo MingChuan got along really well. Contrary to what one might expect, since he himself wasn't fond of speaking, most of the interactions were between those two.

With thorough etiquette and gentle smiles as they talked, there was a hint of friendship among gentlemen, insipid as water in their exchanges.

For those who didn't know, they would assume Luo MingChuan was Duan ChongXuan's best friend, and not someone he had intentionally targeted at Xi Hua Peak.