Chapter 75: The Long Night
The Astral courtyard was in the extreme west of Wangxing Court, on the side of the cliff. It was very quiet, with few traces of people on weekdays.
However, today the Astral courtyard was a hive of activity, with more than ten disciples gathered here. All who were exquisite, lofty and, of course, not plebeian.
“Senior Brother Zhan, is this Senior Brother Ji’s spirit bird?”
A disciple in the upper level of the Nascent Xuan Realm looked at the huge Luan Bird on the south side of the Astral Academy, his eyes full of envy.
Zhan Ming nodded his head in acknowledgement and explained: “Although this Luan bird's cultivation is only at the True Dao realm, its qualifications and bloodline are of the highest quality. It is even considered a top pedigree among the birds within the Spirit Beast Peak.”
Almost all the scattered Star Court disciples in the Xingyuan Peak’s courtyard came, and surrounded Zhan Ming. This time Ji Yuenian sent Lu Mingxi and Zhan Ming to gather people to do the task. So almost all the disciples who were close to him were brought over.
<em class="chakra-text css-0">Boo!
The hissing sound came from afar, and among the clouds and mists, Lu Mingxi who was standing on the blue-feathered Luan bird slowly landed, followed by a pretty girl in red.
Zhan Ming greeted him and said with a smile, “Junior Brother Lu certainly is affluent.”
Lu Mingxi was the descendant of Lu Chongguang, the leader of Xuan Yuan Peak. Xuan Yuan Peak was one of the top ten peaks in the Luoxia Mountains. The Lu family in power was extremely wealthy. So it was not unusual for Lu Mingxi to spend nearly a hundred primeval stones to buy this blue-feathered Luan Bird.
The scattered disciples didn't know Lu Mingxi, but seeing Zhan Ming being familiar with him, they stepped forward and respectfully greeted him ‘Senior Brother Lu’.
Ninety percent of the disciples who could own a Luan Bird within the Luoxia Mountains had a very deep background.
The price of the Luan bird was often 80 or 90 primeval stone, which was beyond the reach of ordinary disciples. Even if a disciple with years of experience saved enough primeval stones (100), he would never be willing to buy a Luan bird, instead he would use the primeval stones on more important cultivation resources.
Jumping off from the Luan Bird, Lu Mingxi cupped his hands towards Zhan Ming, and said, “I'm quite familiar with Wu Tongshi in the Spirit Beast Peak, this blue-feather Luan bird–who is in the upper True Dao realm–only cost me 60 primeval stones, so it isn’t right to say that I’m rich.”
Almost all the surrounding disciples heard this, and they all secretly slandered him in his heart. Lu Mingxi's “only 60 primeval stones” made them both envy and jealousy.
Ordinary Outer Sect disciples only had two primeval stones per month, so it would take nearly three years for them to save up 60 primeval stones, that too without involving any and all expenses.
Lu Mingxi, a new disciple of the Outer Sect, held sway over so many primeval stones and bough a blue-feathered Luan bird at the True Dao realm. Even in the sixth-ranked Xing Yuan Peak, this kind of behavior was not very common.
While the two were talking, a low growling sound came into their ears, and everyone looked up, and a silvery-white spirit auger grasping a green-robed disciple slowly came down.
It was Jiao Xiuyu and Xu Xiao from Eclipsed Moon Peak.
Lu Mingxi narrowed his eyes and looked at Xu Xiao in Jiao Xiuyu's claws from a distance, while saying, “If my guess is right, the person who gave Senior Brother Ji's multi-person mission this time should be him.”
Zhan Ming also looked towards Xu Xiao and said, “At first glance, this person doesn't have much to offer, it's very ordinary.”
Lu Mingxi shook his head, “Senior Brother Ji has always been quite knowledgeable,” and continued “this Xu Xiao is just standing here on the surface with a multi-person mission, but this person must have something special that we haven't takeotice to yet.”
After these words, the light shield outside the Astral Academy gradually collapsed, and the young man in the ink moon robe walked out of it.
Lu Mingxi and Zhan Ming walked over, cupped their hands and said, “I have seen Senior Brother Ji!”
“I've seen Senior Brother Ji!”
More than a dozen disciples bowed their heads and greeted respectfully.
“No need to be polite,” Ji Yuenian looked at Xu Xiao beside Jiao Xiu Yu, “Junior Brother Xu, you can activate the mission order now.”
Xu Xiao looked around, he seemed to want to say something but stopped.
Zhan Ming took a step forward and said with a smile: “Senior Brother Ji doesn't know. The mission is limited to 10 people. This Junior Brother Xu probably doesn't know whose name to register for the mission.”
Jiao Xu Yu didn't know the people of Xing Yuan Peak, so he just stood there and watched silently.
Lu Mingxi turned slightly, revealing the pretty girl in red behind him, and said to Ji Yuenian, “Senior Brother Ji, this girl is my new concubine. I want to take her with me, can I?”
The girl was dressed in a bright red veil, with delicate eyebrows and beautiful eyes, which were extremely moving.
Standing behind Lu Mingxi, Qiao saluted Ji Yuenian: “Zhao Qiao has met Senior Brother Ji.”
Ji Yuenian was noncommittal and said, “No need to be polite, Junior Brother Lu, you and Junior Brother Zhan will choose a few people to make up the numbers for the mission, and we will set off as soon as possible.”
Lu Mingxi cupped his hands and said, “Yes, Senior Brother Ji.”
After he was done talking, he turned around and carefully looked at the dozen or so disciples Zhan Ming had brought.
Zhan Ming also fell silent at this time, and handed over the power to choose to Lu Mingxi.
All these disciples were quite familiar to him, and if he were to pick a few among them, it would end up ugly.
“Senior Brother Ji, stay safe.”
Suddenly, a clear voice came from afar, and following the voice everyone saw, a lotus leaf slowly landed on the side of the Astral Academy. A human in the early stage of the Xuan realm was bowing to Ji Yuenian.
There was a hint of surprise in Ji Yuenian's eyes, apparently recognizing this person.
This person was none other than the Lu family’s Lu Changye who wanted to compete with him on the stone platform.
Getting off from the lotus leaf, Lu Changye first glanced at the disciples at the upper level of the Xuan Realm, then he turned toward Ji Yuenian and bowed to him greetings without any fright and said, “Since we bid farewell that day, Senior Brother Ji went straight up, however, this junior brother spoke out of turn. I was afraid, and I have dared to come pay my respects today, and I hope you won't mind.”
Ji Yuenian's eyes were calm, and he said, “Junior Brother Lu is very polite. We are about to set off for the depths of the Luoxia Mountains. It's better to come early than to come by chance, so Brother Lu should come with me.”
Behind Lu Changye was the Lu family, Ancient City Of Cuiri. Although his cultivation base was very low, his background was very deep.
The ancient city of Cuiri was not like the barren and backward ancient city of Taichu. With strong cultivating families, and a lot of souls in the True Dao realm.
Lu Changye was extremely smart, he had been secretly looking around. Now hearing his reply without any questions, he directly cupped his hand: “I’ll follow Senior Brother Ji’s arrangements.”
Lu Mingxie glanced sideways at Lu Changye, and under his calculations, he had already counted him among the ten people.
Apart from Senior Brother Ji, himself, and Zhan Ming, there were also Jiao Xiuyu, Zhao Qian, Xu Xiao, and Lu Changye.
In this way, there were only three remaining positions.
After a little thought, he looked at the jade talisman with the name and taboo that Zhan Ming had just handed over to him, and looked at the expectant disciples and said, “Ming Zhu, Li Yan, and Zhang Tianxin, you can follow Senior Brother Ji this time to the depths of the Luoxia Mountains.”
The three people whose names were named were all excited, and they cupped their hands together and said, “Thank you, Senior Brother Lu!”
The rewards of multi-person missions were secondary, and the most important thing was that if they could establish a good relationship with Brother Ji in advance, when they ventured in to the depths of the Luoxia Mountains this time, it would be unimaginably beneficial for their future cultivation.
The fact that Ji Yuenian has walked through the 300 stone steps, and once he entered the Six Mountains and Three Realms, he would be ranked as the Candidate Holy Son. This was known to everyone.