Chapter 12: Do you have any shame, you stinky Taoist priest!
Shortly after Li Xingruo and Shi Xiangwen appeared in the plaza, they drew attention.
“Hey, who are you, daring to trespass in the flying boat plaza?”
From a distance, a man in armor shouted.
He and several others quickly approached, eyeing Li Xingruo and Shi Xiangwen with suspicion. The leader asked coldly:
“You came through the internal passage? It’s guarded by a restriction—how did you get through?”
The others raised their weapons, ready to expel them if their answers didn’t satisfy.
Shi Xiangwen raised a hand, signaling them to hold off.
He presented his identity token to the leader. “I’m a disciple of the Huangji Sect’s Thousand Mechanism Peak, here on sect business at the immortal-demon border. My task is done, and I wish to return to the sect via the flying boat.”
“So you’re a fellow sect member. My apologies.” After inspecting the token, the leader gestured to dismiss the guards.
Returning the token, he clasped his hands. “Brother Shi, have you and this miss eaten? It’s mealtime—let me, Li Feihu, arrange something.”
“No need to eat. We want to board the Jueyun flying boat!” Li Xingruo answered for Shi Xiangwen.
A colossal artifact that burned thousands of spirit stones per trip—she’d be missing out if she didn’t experience it.
Li Feihu glanced at her but didn’t ask her identity, turning to Shi Xiangwen instead.
Understanding his look, Shi Xiangwen nodded. “We have urgent business and must return to the sect quickly. Please arrange two tickets for the Jueyun boat, Brother Li.”
“Brother Shi, miss, it’s not that I won’t arrange it,” Li Feihu said, embarrassed and annoyed. “The Jueyun boat… it can’t fly right now!”
“Can’t fly?”
Shi Xiangwen frowned. “Brother Li, why can’t the Jueyun boat fly?”
“Ugh, it makes me mad just thinking about it!”
Li Feihu slapped his palms, removed his helmet, and spat on the ground in anger.
He cursed: “Damn it, a few days ago, we were delivering cargo here with the Jueyun boat, almost arriving smoothly. But then a spirit vein erupted at Chunding Mountain outside the city, hitting the boat’s left hull. We’ve reported it to the sect, and we’re waiting for repairs.”
He punched a nearby pillar, saying to them: “The elders scolded me during the report and docked half a year’s resource supply. Tell me, how’s a spirit vein eruption my fault!”
Seeing Li Feihu’s frustration, Shi Xiangwen soothed, “Natural disasters are unpredictable. It’s not your fault, Brother Li.”
Curious, Li Xingruo asked, “If the boat’s broken, why are so many people queuing outside?”
“They’re not buying tickets—they’re refunding them,” Li Feihu said with a bitter smile.
“I see. No wonder they’re so frantic,” Li Xingruo said. “Brother Li, when will the Jueyun boat be fixed?”
Li Feihu sighed, calculating with his fingers. “At least a month. The hull’s bottom was pierced by the spirit vein surge. It’s not an easy fix.”
Hearing this, Li Xingruo’s spirits soared:
“Oh, a month? What a shame!”
Her words dripped with pity, but her face betrayed barely concealed glee.
A month was more than enough to break this stinking Taoist’s seal and escape as far as possible!
Raising an eyebrow at Shi Xiangwen, she said:
“No flying boat now. Looks like we’ll wait a month here.”
“No need to wait that long. If you’re in a hurry, I’ll send word to Fancheng to dispatch a smaller boat. It’s faster than the Jueyun and will get you to the sect in three days!” Li Feihu offered eagerly.
“…” Li Xingruo’s smile froze.
Damn you, Li Feihu, mind your own business!
Isn’t fixing the Jueyun boat enough for you?
No way—she couldn’t let Li Feihu easily summon a boat from Fancheng. This was a heaven-sent chance she had to seize!
Thinking quickly, she tugged Shi Xiangwen’s sleeve:
“Let’s not trouble Brother Li. He’s got enough on his plate with the Jueyun boat. Why don’t we go to Fancheng ourselves?”
Perhaps finding her reasoning sound, Shi Xiangwen didn’t reject her this time.
Bowing to Li Feihu, he smiled: “Since the Jueyun boat is damaged and no other boats are here, we’ll head to Fancheng ourselves.”
“Alright.”
Preoccupied with the Jueyun boat, Li Feihu didn’t press further and agreed readily.
Scratching his head, he said, “How about this—I’ll prepare fast horses to make your journey easier and save your spiritual energy.”
“Thank you, Brother Li.”
…
Leading the fast horse gifted by Li Feihu, Li Xingruo and Shi Xiangwen returned to the street.
“Stinking Taoist, your Huangji Sect’s not all that. You worked so hard to build that boat, and one spirit vein surge breaks it,” Li Xingruo taunted. “And this Li Feihu’s ridiculous. Two of us, and he gives one horse. Who’s supposed to ride, you or me?”
“A spirit vein surge unleashes wild energy. Hitting the boat’s weak hull bottom, damage is inevitable,” Shi Xiangwen defended the sect.
As for one horse for two, he acted like he didn’t hear, staying silent.
Even he didn’t understand Li Feihu’s intent. Was he complaining about unfair sect punishment by skimping on resources? Or did he assume they were a couple, giving one horse for some romantic flair?
“You sure about going to Fancheng? Waiting for the Jueyun boat would be better,” Li Xingruo said. “The pinnacle of immortal sect crafting—don’t you want to ride it?”
Shi Xiangwen shook his head. “A month’s too long. It’ll delay the wedding.”
“Wedding, my foot! I’ve said it a hundred times—I’m not marrying that cripple Si Ruochen. Drag me to the Huangji Sect, and I’ll still cancel it!”
At the mention of marriage, Li Xingruo bristled like a wild cat, her eyes sharp with defiance.
She swung onto the horse, grabbing the stirrups. “Let’s go already. Get to the Huangji Sect, cancel this stupid engagement, and stop pestering me.”
Yanking the reins, she added:
“This horse is mine to ride since you sealed my spiritual power!”
With that, she spurred the horse, galloping toward the city gate.
After a dozen meters, she leaned forward, glancing back to see Shi Xiangwen not chasing.
Heart steeled, she whipped the horse’s flank, planning to charge through the gate.
Though a mortal horse couldn’t outrun a cultivator like Shi Xiangwen, she just wanted to make trouble.
Making the enemy miserable was as good as her own satisfaction.
Yet the whip never landed.
Shi Xiangwen’s figure appeared eerily behind her, deftly grabbing her wrist and snatching the whip.
“Miss Xianer, the streets are crowded. Galloping wildly could hurt someone.”
“How’d you get up here? I’m not sharing the horse!”
“Fine, as you wish.”
“You… stinking Taoist, making me run? Have you no shame!”