Chapter 43: Drink With Me

Dumbfounded!

Silence.

Luo Yang had a look of disbelief on his face.

‘When did the Jade Pavilion’s entry-level Meteor model have such a frightening acceleration?’

The explosive acceleration was almost on par with a top-of-the-line flight sword.

The Meteor model only cost 5,000 gold coins… How did it reach such high speeds?

Luo Yang felt his world shake with this new information.

“Could it be…a new explosive acceleration rune researched by the Jade Pavilion?”

The thought made Luo Yang’s eyes flash.

“Meteor 007… Did the Jade Pavilion invite a professional flight sword rider to test their new discovery?”

Luo Yang’s breathing picked up and he clasped his hands together.

He believed he had grasped the truth.

The Jade Pavilion had something precious up their sleeves!

…

Whoosh!

Flight swords continuously flew past the finish line.

The illusion area obeyed the laws of time.

Fang Lang and Liu Bubai crossed the finish line at two hours and 15 minutes.

Hum…

The room’s illusion spell faded.

In the Four Rings Tower, Liu Bubai collapsed onto the ground, eyes wide with shock. His face was flushed.

What an adrenaline rush!

It was finally over.

The excitement and the speed… Was this the world of a professional flight sword rider?

Moments later, Liu Bubai crawled up and carefully packed away his flight sword.

Then, he checked the time.

“What? Two hours fifteen minutes for a two-thousand-mile race?”

Liu Bubai’s mind was blown.

His personal record was broken.

Exhilaration made Liu Bubai tremble as he studied the sword slate issued by the Flying Sword Examination Board.

‘Sword slate ranking nine hundred and ninety-nine, Luojiang’s Young Blade God.’

His name was there!

Liu Bubai could not hold in his laughter.

He was carried to victory but he did not care. There was no use pretending.

It was not his choice to be carried but the professional flight sword rider had joined his team.

What was he supposed to do?

…

Fang Lang exited the illusion spell and opened his eyes.

There was a smile on his face and he felt like he was walking on air.

He glanced at the published sword slate—179th.

Although Liu Bubai was the first to cross the finish line, the sword slate ranking was based on the participant’s flight sword maneuvering, race time and race performance as a whole.

Liu Bubai’s ranking was undeserved and he only achieved it through Fang Lang’s forceful push.

Equipped with the Specialized Flight Sword Maneuver Skill and the spell talisman, Fang Lang only managed to reach 179th on the sword slate. He was mildly taken aback by the results.

How skilled were the 178 participants above him?

He shook away the thoughts. He did not really care about the Flight Rally ranking.

Fang Lang was satisfied with the Meteor flight sword. When he exited the test room, Manager Yu was already waiting for him.

She was not aware of the ongoings within the illusion spell but judging from Fang Lang’s smile, she was confident the transaction was a done deal.

“Miss Yu, it costs five thousand gold coins, right? I’ll take it,” Fang Lang said with a smile.

With a smile, Manager Yu lifted her hand that had the space ring.

Fang Lang activated his spiritual intent and brought his hand forward. The two space rings made contact.

5,000 gold coins from his space ring were transferred into Manager Yu’s space ring.

This was the transaction function of the space rings.

‘Ding! The host has completed a cultivation-related transaction and obtained a random reward. The reward is in your inventory.’

The System notification chimed as soon as Fang Lang transferred the 5,000 gold coins.

‘Ding! Friendly reminder that your experience bar is full. Leveling up!’ the System announced.

Fang Lang wore an expectant smile.

Finally…he advanced a level!

…

Host: Fang Lang

Cultivation Discipline: Eighth-Grade Sword Disciple

Level: LV3

Experience: 0/50000

Core: 36 (White)

Cultivation Resource: 25,000 gold coins, 150 low-grade spirit crystals, 1 mid-grade spirit crystal (usage limited to cultivation)

Items: Grade-Rush Card Fragment (1), Green Reward Egg (1)

Binding Partner: Ni Wen (60%); Jiang Linglong (60%); Empty slot (60%)

Sole Passive Ability: Additional rewards may be granted when the host bonds with the binding partner over cultivation.

…

Fang Lang studied the System display. His eyes froze and his breathing picked up.

He noticed the changes to the binding partner details.

Leveling up the System not only gave him financial benefits.

The real benefit was the increase in binding partner slots.

The original partner-binding gave Fang Lang 50% of the partner’s abilities. At level 3, he received 60% of the partner’s abilities.

Although it was only a 10% increment, it was significant to Fang Lang.

It represented growth!

This level up gave Fang Lang hope and ignited his drive to work harder.

He would pour his heart into cultivating!

Things were going his way.

When he came to, Manager Yu had a gentle smile on her face—she did not usher him once.

“Young Master Fang, as gratitude for your patronage and support of the Jade Pavilion’s flight sword business, have this complimentary space ring with ten cubic meter of space. It’s predominantly used to store flight swords.

“I hope the young master will choose the Jade Pavilion again for your next flight sword.”

Manager Yu handed Fang Lang a red space ring with a smile.

Fang Lang’s eyes sparkled. A space ring to go with the flight sword?

Without a doubt, the Jade Pavilion was one of the top three trading companies in the Tang Dynasty—they provided excellent services.

The cost of the space ring was minor to the Jade Pavilion and they could afford to give it away so as to keep the loyalty of a customer who purchased a flight sword. They wanted to secure their footing in the flight sword market, hence the sacrifice was minimal.

Fang Lang chuckled and did not refuse the gift.

He put on the fiery red space ring and kept the Meteor flight sword.

…

A light drizzle accompanied the night sky. The moisture gave the Earth a misty cover.

Luojiang City, at the entertainment house along the riverbank.

The torches were brightly lit as boat after boat sailed along the river. The decorative vessels looked like blooming flowers against the backdrop of the dark sky.

Black clouds gathered and the drizzle became a downpour.

The entertainment house took up a sizable area by the riverbank. There were 12 standalone courtyards that belonged to the Queens of Flowers. Each courtyard housed one Queen whose reputation preceded her.

If one had the money, one could hire the flower boats to be lighted everyday in one’s name.

Chunmei Courtyard of the entertainment house.

Within the courtyard, music and flowing water could be heard. The pavilion and promenade painted an idyllic scene.

At the center of the courtyard was a pavilion equipped with a banquet table. Good wine and food were served on the table.

Rain battered the roof, splattering across the tiles. Rainwater joined into a stream and flowed down the clay tiles.

Inside the pavilion, lanterns hung high, bringing daylight to the interior. The silhouettes flickered.

The sounds of traditional musical instruments floated in the air. An embarrassed and shy female voice was heard. “Mean!”

Her voice was alluring.

As goblets and gambling chips piled on the table, Old Fang and a few Luojiang lords discussed the collaboration deal among themselves.

Pitter-patter.

The footsteps kicked up the water on the ground. The sound was clear in the silence of the night.

At the entrance of Chunmei Courtyard, two silhouettes in bamboo hats and woven rush raincoats appeared. One had a rusty steel sword across his back—his arms laid across his chest.

The guards of Chunmei Courtyard stepped forward to interfere but the terrifying aura that emanated from the tall and sturdy cultivator halted them.

Blood spilled from the guards’ mouths as they crumpled onto the muddy ground, unmoving.

The two silhouettes confidently stepped into the pavilion.

The banter and activity inside Chunmei Courtyard came to a stop.

At the banquet table, the Queen of Flowers had a shocked face. The other lords’ expressions darkened.

Everyone remained silent.

The two silhouettes appeared with a frightening aura that was unique to cultivators. They entered the pavilion and removed their bamboo hats.

Carrying his rusty sword, Lin Yun smiled and poured himself a cup of wine. He shot a look at Fang Beihe who was seated at the banquet table.

“Boss Fang, an honor to meet you at last. I am Lin Yun. I had the chance to meet your son, Fang Lang. Come, drink with me while we wait for his arrival.”

…

‘It’s raining.’

Fang Lang stood at the Jade Pavilion entrance and looked up at the sky. Watching the beads of rain fall from the sky, he let out a misty breath.

Riding the flight sword in the illusion spell made him lose track of time.

Holding the oil paper umbrella borrowed from Manager Yu, Fang Lang stepped out into the rain.

He managed only one step.

A distance away, a figure in the rain was running toward his direction. The person’s footsteps made splashes in the rain puddle.

“Are you Young Master Fang?” a pale-faced man asked immediately.

The man was dressed in a bamboo hat and woven rush raincoat.

Fang Lang was surprised. He did not expect the rushing man to be looking for him.

Fang Lang nodded.

The man explained, “I am a guard stationed at Chunmei Courtyard of the entertainment house. Young Master Lin Yun asked me to deliver a message. He is inviting you to Chunmei Courtyard.”

Lin Yun?

Concern crossed Fang Lang’s mind. He remembered the wild and unruly Donglu Academy student, Lin Yun, from the Gathering of Swords.

Fang Lang frowned. ‘Why is Lin Yun in Luojiang City?’

He was not fond of Lin Yun—the boy was an arrogant bully who had cruelty in his eyes.

“I’m occupied, unfortunately,” Fang Lang replied indifferently.

‘What’s wrong with Lin Yun?’

Fang Lang walked past the guard, umbrella in hand.

The guard took a deep breath and said, “Young Master Lin and Boss Fang Beihe are enjoying their talk. He wishes for the young master to join.”

Splash!

Fang Lang’s foot struck the ground and rainwater splattered everywhere.

The fine raindrops that fell like a sheet from the sky froze as Fang Lang’s murderous aura flared.

Slowly, he turned around to face the guard. With a somber expression, he said, “Take me there.”