Chapter 173: Therefore Those So-Called Sufferings of the World of Mortals Are All Lies
Translator: Subudai11 Editor: Chrissy
"Liu Li, let me ask you, what do you think we are going to do down the mountain this time?"
"Eat and play."
"Guess again?"
"Eat in all over Nine Regions?"
"Continue to guess?"
"... Are all of those guesses wrong?"
"Nonsense, of course they’re wrong!"
Before the roaring Wang Lu, Liu Li innocently blinked her eyes and looked as if she was wronged. "How so? Obviously, the deal is to eat and play!"
Wang Lu impolitely reached out his hand and struck the girl’s head, regardless of the fact that Liu Li entered the Sect earlier than him and was basically his Senior Sister.
"I actually said it before we went down the mountain. Now, I’m going to repeat it, so you better listen up. This time we go down the mountain, there are three things that we need to do. First is to deliver a letter for my Master. She has a female friend in the Grand Cloud Mountain in the Cloud Region where there is something big happening there. I want to deliver her the letter. The second is to record everything that we see and hear along the way, to increase our experience and widen our horizon, and to refine our primordial spirit and immortal heart. The third is to think of a way to pick a fight to gain prestige and spread the name of the sect as quickly as possible. Then we can drink and play, living a little bit more comfortable. Yet, you only remember the last part!?"
Liu Li pursed her mouth. "The first part is too complicated, I don’t understand them at all."
"... Forget it. You just need to remember one thing, do as I tell you to do."
"Oh, okay."
Seeing that Liu Li had stopped pestering him anymore, Wang Lu sighed with emotion at what he felt that after five years, Liu Li was still the same Liu Li. At the same time, he fished out a pack of preserved beef meat from his mustard seed bag and gave it to the girl, as a reward for being a good girl.
Liu Li happily smiled, opened up the paper wrapping and began munching it nonstop, which caused a certain mottled dog to be extremely envious.
Both are man’s best friends, but this difference in treatment was really heartbreaking...
By now, Liu Li was very pleased with herself; she strutted as she licked the salt and onion on the meat with her fingers; her fingertips immediately caught a layer of sparkling and translucent crystal. That enjoying-a-delicious-meal expression immediately caused the dumb dog’s saliva to involuntarily flowed down.
However, when Liu Li ate just half of the packing, she suddenly wrapped the beef meat up again and kept it as if it was her treasured object, no longer was she greedy for food. Seeing this, Wang Lu curiously asked, "Why aren’t you eating?"
Liu Li replied very much earnestly, "If I eat now, I won’t be able to eat later on."
Wang Lu laughed, "What kind of logic is this, why can’t you eat later on?"
"Master said, when Spirit Sword Sect disciples went down the mountain to do experiential learning, they must seriously experience the sufferings of the world of mortals, not indulge themselves in the life of luxury... In any case, the last time I went down the mountain, I always can’t eat until my stomach is full; the spirit stones and money that Master gave me were not much, and they’ve already been spent very quickly."
"How much did Uncle give you spirit stones and money?"
Fortunately, Liu Li wasn’t stupid in regard to wrenching out numbers; she quickly replied, "Five thousand taels of silver and three hundred spirit stones."
Objectively speaking, Zhou Ming was not stingy. At that time, Liu Li was still at the peak Qi Cultivating Stage, so her daily expense wasn’t that much; that five thousand taels of silver and three hundred spirit stones was enough to support her life for several years. However, when Liu Li went down the mountain for the first time, she completely didn’t understand moderation, and more unclear about the prices. In the Imperial Feast restaurant at a bustling capital city, she ate all kinds of delicacies and spent all her money in just a few days and then she had to swallow her saliva and dejectedly leave the place. After that, for nearly a year, she really went through a lot of hardships.
Hearing Liu Li recalling her past sufferings, and the way she treasured the pack of preserved beef meat, Wang Lu saw the child actually had suffered a deep trauma in regard to experiential learning down the mountain; he could not help but chuckle and pat the girl’s head. "Since this time you’ll come down the mountain with me, there’s no need for you to worry too much. Uncle has entrusted you to me, so I will not let you starve out here."
The meaning of those words actually puzzled Liu Li. This time, her Master didn’t give her as much money as the last time, and Wang Lu... Non-Phase Peak was always famous for its poverty.
However, while the girl’s mind was still confused, she suddenly saw on the horizon a silver ray of light coming over to them with lightning speed. At this time, they just walked out of the boundary of the Spirit Sword Mountain, so she didn’t know who could possibly come knocking at the Sect.
Liu Li rolled her eyes and she was immediately able to clearly see what that lightning fast silver ray of light actually was. It was an object stated in the academic curriculum of the Teng Cloud Hall, Cloud Wave Boat. Nowadays, it was a commonly used flying vehicle of the cultivators. It’s flying speed was strangely fast and journeying in it was smooth and comfortable, which made it quite popular. However, this silver flying boat was a hundred times more luxurious than what mentioned in the textbook. Its surface was plated with the silver cloud, which even Liu Li knew that it was precious. Moreover, its flight speed was faster than what was recorded in the book and more stable.
After sensing with her Brilliant Sword Heart that this flying boat was not hostile, the girl shifted her focus elsewhere—in any case, the flying boat wouldn’t be able to enter the Mountain without permission.
However, a moment later, that flying boat descended from the sky and stopped in front of the two of them. From that bright silvery boat, a white-clothed cultivator slowly walked out and respectfully saluted before Wang Lu. "Paying respect to Mr. Director."
Wang Lu laughed. "Old Ye, long time no see, your cultivation base has improved a lot.
The one who came down the flying boat was the Vice Sect Leader of the Wisdom Sect, Deputy Director of the Intelligence Revenue Service Ye Chuchen. It had been eight years since Wang Lu’s Wisdom Sect had annexed his Seven Stars Sect, and this former Sect Leader of the Seven Stars Sect had fully adapted to his Vice Leader position. By now, Ye Chuchen felt only inexhaustible gratitude to Wang Lu in that annexing incident. Were it not for Wang Lu, he would just be a dime a dozen loose cultivators, but now, though Wisdom Sect was still on the bottom level of the Union of Ten Thousand Immortal, his status, after all, had changed tremendously. And as a cultivator, he also got many personal benefits.
First, because at that time Wang Lu had improved his cultivation method, the shackles that had held back his cultivation for many years immediately disappeared. Second, as the Vice Sect Leader of the Wisdom Sect, he enjoyed numerous privileges; with how much resources that were allocated to him, it would be difficult not to advance in cultivation base by leaps and bounds. In the past several years, although his cultivation base had only increased by a level, for an average aptitude cultivator like him, wouldn’t advancing by a level even after reaching the Xudan Stage be counted as leaps and bounds? Moreover, his comprehensive strength was more than doubled. When they first met, this Seven Stars Sect’s Sect Leader was just a trash level nine Xudan Stage-3, but now he was already level eight Xudan Stage Xiao Ming. Which meant that he practically had advanced his cultivation base by four levels in the last eight years, truly advancing by leaps and bounds. Were it not for dealing with matters regarding Sect which involved a lot of effort from him, he could’ve been more successful.
All of this, of course, was thanks to Wang Lu. Therefore, Ye Chuchen had already long been loyal and devoted to Wang Lu—even in recent years where Wang Lu had fully devoted himself to cultivating in Spirit Sword Mountain, thus having to let go most of the sect affairs.
"Mr. Director, as soon as I heard your instruction, I immediately came. Moreover, as per your order, I also brought this custom version of Cloud Wave Boat, Cloud Wave 2000."
With that, Ye Chuchen cast a spell, that more than thirty meters long completely smooth flying boat suddenly opened its entrance. Looking into the entrance, its inside was unexpectedly far broader than what it looked like outside.
Liu Li’s eyes immediately widened in surprise, thinking that this thing and the flying boat mentioned in the book were completely different. In the book, the Cloud Wave Boat was simple to use, cost-effective, but had a narrow room, thus, cultivators would often be extremely uncomfortable flying in it. But now, it seemed like that description was totally wrong.
Seeing the puzzled look on Liu Li’s face, Wang Lu smiled and explained, "This is a custom-made Cloud Wave Boat Bos Edition that I told my men to order from the Celestial Work Hall of the Mysterious Sky Mansion. Inside the boat, there’s a pocket realm where every ware that should be there are there. Come on in and let’s talk about it inside."
Upon entering this flying boat, the girl was thoroughly shocked, not only was the inside significantly more vast than the size of the boat from the outside but along the edge of the hall, there were also staircases leading to the upper and lower deck. Moreover, the rooms were also numerous.
While the girl’s mind was still in a state of bewildered shock, Ye Chuchen once again cast a spell which closed the entrance. Then the flying boat soared into the sky smoothly without any trace of disturbance.
After launching the flying boat, Ye Chuchen said to Wang Lu, "Unfortunately, the level three craftsmanship of Celestial Work Hall isn’t placed here, so this boat can only achieve this level of craftsmanship. Consequently, the landscape and vegetation, as well as the dancing and singing puppet that you hope to have couldn’t be achieved. Please forgive your subordinate’s incompetence, Mr. Director."
Wang Lu went straight to the main deck chair at the hall, sat there and waved his hand. "No harm done. In any case, achieving this level of luxury in just a few days is already quite good. After all, we’re not some supreme customer, we don’t have enough points to spend. Let’s just wait for another chance, then we can create it to our satisfaction. First, let’s just make do with it."
With that, Wang Lu looked at Liu Li who was curiously exploring all around inside the boat; he said with a smile, "Old Ye, bring us some food and drink."
"Yes."
Before long, a whole bunch of luxurious food and drinks were set up on the table, which immediately attracted Liu Li, who was crazily running upstairs and downstairs, and upon seeing it, she was firmly captivated by it.
Heavenly Fragrant Rain Syrup, Vermillion Jade Five Flowers, Jadeite Cabbage, Mysterious Ice Cheese... Even in that Imperial Feast Restaurant, Liu Li had never seen such luxurious dishes. Was-was this real?
Despite the pure and clear nature of her Brilliant Sword Heart, it couldn’t keep her detached from this incomparable shock. In just a moment of daze, Liu Li already couldn’t bear but start swallowing her own saliva.
Wang Lu laughed and said, "Why are you just standing there? These are for you!"
"Re-really!?"
Wang Lu directly picked off a piece of fat and tender lamb chops and threw it at the stupid dog, which it swallowed whole.
"If you don’t want to eat, then so be it."
"I want to eat, I want to eat them!"
Before long, a table filled with dishes that could be eaten by more than ten people were cleaned up by Wang Lu and his two best friends. Liu Li’s pure and clear physique made it very difficult to make her feel full, but after they cleaned up the whole food on the table, she couldn’t help but feel content.
"Old Ye, the food, and drinks are over, it’s time to start the program."
"Yes."
Then, the sound of string and wooden musical instrument resounded throughout the hall. Wang Lu reclined on his deck chair while somewhat swaying comfortably to the tune.
At this time, Liu Li already couldn’t hold back her curiosity anymore. "Wang Lu... Did you buy this flying boat?"
"Correct."
"How much does it cost?" Though naive, Liu Li was well aware that such a luxurious flying boat must have an exorbitant price. Just those dishes on the table alone probably cost around ten thousand taels of silver or hundreds of spirit stones.
Wang Lu chuckled. "Preferential price, eight hundred thousand spirit stones."
"Eight-eight hundred thousand!?" Liu Li repeated that number in disbelieve. "So-so rich."
Wang Lu laughed aloud. "Of course, after all, this is the Sect’s vehicle inventory bought using public fund!"
"Public fund?"
"Yes, haven’t I told you this? I have my own business down the mountain; I have a sect." Wang Lu nodded and then earnestly said, "Although Wisdom Sect is my own creation, a qualified executive must clearly separate public and private accounts. A single cent spent by the public must not come from private account!"
"Huh!?" Liu Li felt that something was not quite right with Wang Lu’s ‘righteous’ explanation, but she couldn’t quite identify what it was.
After she gawked for a moment, Liu Li said, "But, Master said, experiential learning down the mountain must be done in a thrifty way…"
Wang Lu waved his hand to interrupt her. "What a joke! I am a dignified number one person in the Wisdom Sect. Every word and every action that I take represents the face of all the people under me. If I do anything thrifty, it would only make people look down on Wisdom Sect."
With that, Wang Lu confidently and leisurely reclined on his seat. "Little Liu Li, remember this clearly. This is called the leadership treatment!"