Cohabitation with Sword Spirit-Chapter 258 - 218: Journey Afar

January 2, 2018

The sunlight in the early morning seemed overly dazzling for a winter’s day in QingCyan Cloud yun City. As people woke up and stepped outside, their eyes hurt, unable to directly look at the blinding sunlight overhead.

A natural disaster? A mutation? Did the three major families conduct a hazardous wide-ranging climate immortal technique experiment?

After a brief panic, people realized that it was already midmorning. They had simply overslept.

For many, the first day of the New Year was spent in a haze of celebration. People were caught up in the excitement of the QingCyan Cloud yun competition, and fatigue only set in on the second day, causing them to oversleep.

On this day, even those who were habitually diligent holiday workers slacked off, making the whole city feel somewhat desolate. As a result, when Wang Jiu tried to lead his mount out to buy some breakfast, he couldn’t find anything suitable to eat. During the holiday, the things still sold on the streets were mostly just for show, not even worth the dogs’ attention. Wang Jiu had suffered greatly while hunting for gourmet food in QingCyan Cloud yun City in the past few months.

After aimlessly wandering the streets for a while, just as Wang Jiu was about to lead Shen Qingming to the Li Family Mansion to scrounge a meal—since the private kitchen there was open 24 hours a day, all year round—

—Shen Qingming suddenly spoke up: "Ah Jiu, I want to go to Shen City."

Wang Jiu wasn’t surprised at Shen Qingming’s habit of topic jumping, but was merely curious: "Didn’t you hesitate yesterday?"

At last night’s celebratory feast, Shen Ziyu suddenly appeared and invited Shen Qingming to Shen City under the pretext of awarding a prize, mentioning that her grandfather often missed his granddaughter. At that moment, Shen Qingming didn’t express her thoughts clearly, but Wang Jiu knew she was reluctant deep down.

"Yesterday is not today." Shen Qingming shook her head. "Honestly, even now, I’m unwilling from an emotional standpoint. Shen City... since I can remember, all I’ve heard are negative things. The Shen and Li families are at odds; the Shen Family has always made things difficult for the Li Family. And my mother’s tragedy—well, it started because Grandpa refused to approve her marriage, forcing her to choose between family and love."

After a pause, Shen Qingming continued: "I don’t like Shen City, nor do I like the grandfather I barely know. But after yesterday’s events, I’ve been thinking that many things back then were misunderstandings. Since so many years have passed—even Mama has been gone for so long—it’s time to resolve those misunderstandings."

Wang Jiu looked at Shen Qingming’s earnest face and responded earnestly: "Oh."

"...I know it’s unreliable." Shen Qingming sighed, feeling powerless. "But I still want to go as a diplomatic envoy, to ease the historical resentment between the two families. Thinking carefully, this role is meant for me, as I’m the daughter of both the Li and Shen families. Resolving misunderstandings should start with me. My distaste for Grandpa is based on preconceived notions. I’ve never even met him or spoken to him."

"I see, wish you a smooth journey." Wang Jiu offered a sincere blessing.

Shen Qingming was stunned: "Wait, you’re not coming with me?!"

Wang Jiu asked curiously: "Why should I go with you? I have no misunderstanding with the Shen Family."

"But, I..." Shen Qingming stammered, blinking, before blushing and squeezing out the words, "I’m your mount, after all."

Wang Jiu waved his hand: "Rest assured, I always respect the freedom of my mounts. I’ve been raising you for more than half a year; a little free-range time is fine."

"But what if I encounter danger?! The road from QingCyan Cloud yun City to Shen City is slow, and the people there generally harbor hostility towards the Li Family."

Wang Jiu said: "So you’re suggesting I buy insurance for you first?"

"What’s wrong with you?!" Shen Qingming was exasperated. "Can’t you sense that I want you to come with me?!"

Wang Jiu asked curiously: "Are you nuts? If you want me to come with you, just say so directly. Beating around the bush like this, are you starting to serialize a novel?"

"I... I was wrong." Shen Qingming finally admitted defeat and asked weakly, "Can you come with me?"

Wang Jiu thought for a bit: "I don’t want to go; I’m doing fine in QingCyan Cloud yun City. What’s the point of going to Shen City?"

"Um..." Shen Qingming racked her brain, surprised by how picky this Whiteboard Stupid Sword was, so she tried persuading him: "Shen City is world-famous for its cuisine, like sandstone grilled meat..."

Wang Jiu pointed to a nearby restaurant: "You mean like that?"

Shen Qingming turned to look and saw a sign at the restaurant entrance: Authentic Shen City Sandstone Grilled Meat, specially prepared by a Shen City chef, unanimously praised by Shen City visitors.

"...Fake! All false advertising!" Shen Qingming gritted her teeth, emphatically, "Only Shen City has authentic sandstone grilled meat; no other place can replicate that taste!"

"How do you know?"

"My, my mother said so!" Shen Qingming unhesitatingly betrayed her mother at a critical moment, "In short, trust me. Compared to Shen City, QingCyan Cloud yun City is a culinary desert."

Wang Jiu thought for a moment: "Alright, then let’s start with Shen City."

According to Wang Jiu’s plan, he actually most wanted to go to Golden Jade City, the ultimate in wealth, fashion capital, often ranked alongside Heaven-Reaching City, the second largest city in Xiangzhou.

There were descendants of Zhao Yuming, and a talented City Lord, Zhao Chenlu, whose resume piqued his interest.

Following Golden Jade City was Heaven-Reaching City, home to the Saint Sect, controlling the most Primordial Ruins and historical heritage in the world today.

While Wang Jiu didn’t have strong feelings for the past, he was at least curious about everything that happened during his slumber. If he could personally uncover these historical secrets at the Saint Sect, it would not be without pleasure.

However, since Shen Qingming requested it, starting with Shen City was perfectly fine.

After all, after interacting with Shen Qingming, Shen Yue’e, and Shen Ziyu, Wang Jiu felt there were indeed many unsolved puzzles within the Shen Family. The most typical point was: despite Shen Kaishan having given the Shen Family top-tier bloodline divine techniques, the Shen Family now seemed to have reverted to their ancestral divine skill, Sand Gathering Technique, entirely abandoning the Immovable Tyrant Body.

If the Shen Family had valued the Immovable Tyrant Body... maybe Shen Yue’e wouldn’t have died from exhaustion—though Immovable Tyrant Body is a physical divine technique, offering little for enhancing intelligence, it greatly boosts a person’s life force, ensuring survival. Once trained to the Eighth Heaven, it can replenish the Primordial Spirit with the body, where even excessive use of the Primordial Spirit can be compensated by consuming life force as long as the body remains intact.

————

As expected, Shen Qingming’s travel plan met with resistance by noon that day.

The two wandered the streets, hungry, and eventually bought some fast-food buns, which left them feeling grimy and nauseated, forcing them to retreat to Shen Garden to rinse their mouths with clean water and sanitize with strong alcohol, barely recovering.

With no other options, Wang Jiu took Shen Qingming to the Li Family Mansion to scrounge a meal, while reporting on the diplomatic plan to travel to Shen City to the patriarch.

"Great." Li Fengyun wholeheartedly supported Shen Qingming’s plan.

No sooner had the words left his mouth than Lu Xin anxiously spoke up: "I object!"

Li Fengyun glanced at Lu Xin, then said to Shen Qingming: "Fine, I object to you going to Shen City."

"Dad, can you be consistent?!" Shen Qingming was exasperated, "You already agreed!"

Lu Xin unceremoniously replied: "Don’t bully your dad. He’s muddleheaded; what does he know?"

Li Fengyun nodded: "Yeah, what I say doesn’t count."

Shen Qingming clenched her teeth in frustration, struggling to persuade Lu Xin: "Mom, I want to go to Shen City; I’ve thought it through thoroughly..."

"That makes it even more absurd!" Lu Xin anxiously interrupted Shen Qingming, "Do you know how the Shen Family views you?"

"But Uncle..."

"Yes, Shen Ziyu treats you well, but he’s just an oddity in the Shen Family. Otherwise, why do you think he’s practicing at the Saint Sect instead of inheriting Shen Ruoshi’s legacy?"

"Which is why my going to resolve the misunderstandings is necessary."

"Even if you have to go, it shouldn’t be a child like you..."

Shen Qingming argued: "No, precisely because I’m a child, it’s easier to dispel the other’s resistance, right? This is where I have an advantage over you adults."

Wang Jiu also agreed: "Humans have a natural affinity for their species’ young, and Shen Qingming’s unique petite form helps accentuate this trait."

Shen Qingming instinctively covered her chest, blushing: "This doesn’t concern you; stop stirring trouble!"

Wang Jiu’s curiosity piqued: "Am I wrong? There’s a clear example right beside you—Lu Xin successfully wooed Li Fengyun and married into the Li Family. Her size advantage must have played a role..."

Not until he was kicked out of the dining room by mother and daughter did Wang Jiu understand what he said wrong.