Soon, Lu Changsheng arrived in Cangyun City.
The streets were bustling, with crowds of people, hawkers calling out by the roadside, children occasionally playing and running past, young women picking out rouge and powder at stalls, women gossiping, and old men bragging.
The scent of daily life was everywhere.
Lu Changsheng was in no hurry, walking along and enjoying the scenery.
A month ago, the Ning family had already sent word that Ning Yuxin would be sent to Qingyun Peak to Cultivate for a period.
Zhou Qingyu, being devoted to the Dao, never bothered with such matters and always left them to Lu Changsheng.
However, he saw through it clearly and murmured softly.
“These days, even the richest man’s daughter worries about getting married!”
“Saying she’s coming to Cultivate for a while, isn’t it just to let them develop some feelings for each other!”
“But then again, Senior Brother is so aloof, does he dislike women?”
He spoke as he walked, arriving in front of a restaurant.
This place, called Zuixianyuan, was famous within a thousand miles, but today the Ning family had booked it out.
“Changsheng Immortal Master, you’ve arrived!”
Inside the restaurant, the manager came forward to greet him.
Guards, all from the Ning family, stood all around.
Lu Changsheng followed the manager upstairs to a private room.
The moment the door opened, Lu Changsheng saw several maids standing in the back, and a sixteen or seventeen-year-old Young Master sitting there.
Seeing Lu Changsheng, the Young Master stood up and said, “I presume this is Senior Brother Changsheng!”
“You are?”
“I am Ning Yuchen, Ning Yuxin’s Junior Brother. I accompanied my sister here, and it was I who communicated with you before!”
“So it was you!”
Lu Changsheng was not reserved; he walked in, and the two sat down.
They had already exchanged letters several times, so they were quite familiar with each other.
And the Ning Yuchen before him was graceful and gentle in demeanor; judging by his appearance, his family upbringing was strict, and he was not a wastrel.
As they sat down, Lu Changsheng said, “Junior Brother Ning, there’s no need to be so polite. You could have just gone directly to Qingyun Peak. Why did you specifically ask me to come here!”
Ning Yuchen smiled, observing Lu Changsheng.
Looking at his appearance and temperament, if he hadn't heard of his reputation, one would have thought he was the rumored Young Sword Immortal Zhou Qingyu.
“We are the ones intruding; we should be treating you to apologize!” Ning Yuchen said.
Lu Changsheng glanced around but said nothing, with Ning Yuchen accompanying him.
Immediately after, dishes were brought out one by one.
Seeing this, Lu Changsheng said, “Junior Brother Ning, just speak your mind. We’ll be family in the future, so there’s no need to beat around the bush!”
Hearing this, Ning Yuchen leaned closer.
“Senior Brother Changsheng, I heard you are the one who understands Senior Brother Qing Yu the most, so I wanted to ask you about some things!”
At this, Lu Changsheng glanced at the person beside him, already guessing the general idea.
There was a marriage alliance between the two parties, and the Ning family intended to facilitate it.
After all, his Senior Brother, as a rare Young Genius in Cang Province, was already close to Core Formation at a young age; who wouldn’t covet him?
Other Sects also had such Geniuses, but he was the only one who could Cultivate Sword Intent to the sixth layer.
To put it modestly, Zhou Qingyu was almost an existence admired by the younger generation in Cang Province, having never been defeated since his debut.
In Lu Changsheng’s opinion, in terms of excellence, Senior Brother was second only to him.
After a moment of thought, he said, “Junior Brother, just ask what you want to ask, I understand everything!”
Ning Yuchen showed joy and said, “What does Senior Brother usually like?”
“Spirit Stones!” Lu Changsheng replied, his words clear and without hesitation.
“Spirit Stones?” Ning Yuchen was stunned.
Lu Changsheng affirmed, “That’s right, Spirit Stones, lots and lots of Spirit Stones!”
Ning Yuchen was somewhat lost in thought, feeling like he hadn’t heard that before. As the Young Sword Immortal of Cangyun Sect, shouldn't he like treasured swords?
Lu Changsheng explained, “This kind of small secret, others certainly wouldn’t know. Of course, if it’s some famous sword, or sword techniques, that’s also acceptable!”
“So that’s how it is!”
Ning Yuchen thought carefully, and it seemed logical. Cultivators needed vast Spiritual Qi to support their Cultivation.
If they couldn’t absorb enough from the environment, they had to rely on Spirit Stones, so saying he liked Spirit Stones was indeed correct.
Immediately, he looked at Lu Changsheng and said, “Thank you for the guidance, Senior Brother!”
“You’re welcome!” Lu Changsheng said, glancing at the sky. “Since there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave. I’m usually on the Immortal Mountain, so just come directly!”
“It’s still early, Senior Brother, where are you going?”
“Zuixianyuan!”
“A brothel?”
“Yes!”
Lu Changsheng did not hide it at all; he had already made an appointment with the courtesan of Zuixianyuan.
He didn’t care about his reputation anyway; it was already what it was.
For a moment, Ning Yuchen had an idea, but just as he was about to say something, Lu Changsheng had already left.
As the person disappeared, he felt some regret.
At the same time, in the restaurant, a woman frowned as she watched Lu Changsheng’s retreating figure.
The woman was seventeen or eighteen years old, with a beautiful and elegant appearance.
She was Ning Yuxin.
She had clearly heard the previous conversation and couldn’t help but speak.
“How could Qingyun Peak, such an Immortal Mountain, and Senior Brother Qing Yu, such a Genius, produce a Junior Brother like this?”
Upon arriving in Cangyun City, they had inquired everywhere and had also heard a little about Lu Changsheng.
But merely hearing about him made people shake their heads; what if they delved deeper?
The old servant beside her said, “Young Miss is here for Young Master Qing Yu, so how Lu Changsheng is doesn’t really matter!”
Ning Yuxin thought that made sense and said no more, instead beginning to prepare things for her journey to Qingyun Peak tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Lu Changsheng had already arrived in a bustling area.
He saw singing and dancing, music everywhere, and people hurrying to and fro; this place was Zuixianyuan!
Before he could walk in, someone had already come to greet him.
“Changsheng Immortal Master, Muyue is already waiting for you!”
“Good!”
Lu Changsheng responded and followed the person inside.
Passing through the waterside pavilions, they arrived at an upper floor.
Lu Changsheng looked from afar and saw a woman leaning against the railing, her eyes gentle, and when she looked at him, a smile bloomed on her lips, like water.
“Young Master Lu, it’s been a while since we last met. Have you forgotten about me?”
The woman was Su Muyue, teasing Lu Changsheng as she looked at him.
Lu Changsheng walked over and replied, “There’s nothing I can do; I’ve been so engrossed in Cultivating recently that I can’t extricate myself. I’m also thinking of Ascending soon and witnessing the Great Dao!”
He said, slowly sitting down.
Su Muyue smiled and said, “Young Master Lu, what kind of joke are you telling me? How could someone as carefree and unrestrained as you be engrossed in Cultivating!”
“You really understand me! It’s just that I haven’t had money to come recently!”
“Hehe!”
Su Muyue chuckled, sitting opposite him.
“I came this time to ask on behalf of my Senior Brother if any Secret Realms have manifested recently?”
“You really only come when you need something!” Su Muyue shook her head. “But your Senior Brother enters Secret Realms a bit too frequently!”
“Who doesn’t know he’s a Cultivation maniac? Training is essential!”
Lu Changsheng was also helpless. A few years ago, he accidentally passed by here and was dragged in, unexpectedly meeting this courtesan.
Later, he discovered that her identity was not simple, although he didn’t know her purpose.
Yet, they got along very well, and he had asked her to help him find many Secret Realms.
After all, the Spiritual Qi he needed was simply too much, and the outside world couldn’t satisfy it. Spirit Stones weren't that easy to earn, so he could only spend all day drilling into Secret Realms.
The two talked congenially, but as they chatted, a commotion arose outside.
Several figures, ignoring the obstruction, came straight towards them, disrupting the atmosphere.
…