Chapter 223: That Object

Translator: yikaii Editor: yikaii

The Meng family, as a top-tier family on the Central Continent, boasts a history of a hundred thousand years and is well-mannered. As the eldest son of the Meng family, Meng Jingzhou naturally wouldn’t be displeased with Li Haoran over trivial matters.

Meng Jingzhou looked at Li Haoran and said solemnly, “Could you mention the aphrodisiac effects earlier next time?”

Li Haoran responded with an “oh,” as if recalling something, and added, “My master told me that soaking in lava long-term also has aphrodisiac effects. This is one of the motivations that kept me going, and it turns out the results are indeed quite good.”

“… Can we skip the topic of aphrodisiacs?”

“Alright.”

When Lu Yang and his group returned to the Li residence, Li’s mother had already prepared a sumptuous dinner for everyone.

After all, they couldn’t always let the guests, Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou, cook.

Meng Jingzhou had bought a ton of items—essentially anything he hadn’t seen before, he bought in abundance.

Whether they were useful or not was secondary; what mattered was that they were intriguing.

Of course, he didn’t buy items that were blatantly ridiculous, such as “pure 100% natural spiritual energy” supposedly with a history of four thousand years and witnessing the entire demise of the old phoenix.

Lu Yang bought a finely crafted phoenix pendant, which he tied together with his identity jade token and pinned to his waist.

Qin Yanyan bought a box of bamboo juice; she enjoyed the bamboo juice, a specialty of Luofeng County, while having barbecue the night before.

Su Yiren bought nothing. As someone at the Unity Stage, Luofeng County had nothing worthy of her interest unless it was the corpse of an old phoenix.

“Mom, you have such skills?” Li Haoran was dumbfounded when he saw the table full of delicacies. In his memory, his mother couldn’t cook so well.

Li’s mother smiled, “I just learned. During the time you were away, I thought I might as well learn something new.”

Li’s father interjected, “Your mother just learned how to buy dishes from the old tavern.”

Li’s mother glared at Li’s father.

Li Haoran: “…”

The culinary skills of the old tavern needed no introduction; they were naturally excellent. Centuries-old restaurants, which were rare in Lu Yang’s previous life, were commonplace on the Central Continent.

However, a century-old restaurant didn’t qualify as an “old restaurant.” To earn that title, a restaurant had to be at least five hundred years old.

The old tavern was a millennium-old establishment. The staff had changed many times, but the owner had never changed in a thousand years, ensuring the preservation of the flavors from the source.

The oldest thing in the old tavern wasn’t the recipe or the furniture but the owner himself.

“What, you say the food you ate here as a child didn’t taste like this? I was also the one who cooked it myself back then!”

After dinner, Lu Yang sought advice from Su Yiren about the matter of forming a golden core.

“Forming a golden core?” Su Yiren didn’t expect Lu Yang to ask her about this. Hadn’t Haoran mentioned he was the fourth disciple of the Dao Seeking Sect’s leader? Why not directly ask the Dao Seeking Sect leader?
Although they were both at the Unity Stage, the Dao Seeking Sect leader’s expertise far surpassed hers.

Lu Yang couldn’t tell outsiders that his master was a frivolous old man who spent most of his time telling stories outside, barely teaching him anything.

“My master is preoccupied with the world’s affairs and has no time for me.”

“I see,” Su Yiren nodded, believing Lu Yang’s explanation.

Meng Jingzhou, on the other hand, rolled his eyes.

Meng Jingzhou and Li Haoran were also in the room, listening to Su Yiren’s explanation about forming a golden core.

Although Li Haoran was only at the early Foundation Building Stage, it didn’t matter; the knowledge about forming a golden core would be useful eventually.

“I believe that the most important aspect of forming a golden core is fate. I have mediocre talent, and my greatest aspiration was to form a second-grade golden core. That was the best scenario I could imagine.”

“To form a second-grade golden core, I tried everything to gain insights, from fighting in deep forests with beasts to sitting on boulders under waterfalls, observing human life to understand the worldly aura… all to no avail.”

“One day, after finishing my cultivation, I lay on the edge of a cliff, gazing at the starry sky, feeling incredibly small.”

“It was at that moment, an indescribable insight surged into my heart. I seized the opportunity to gather my energy and form my core. The resulting core was full and bright, a first-grade golden core.”

“When I stopped deliberately seeking it, I gained the insight. I discussed this with several fellow practitioners, and two of them had similar experiences.”

Lu Yang gained some insight from her words and thanked Su Yiren.

…

In the middle of the night, Lu Yang opened his eyes, not knowing what time it was.

“You’re awake? I was just about to call you,” the Everlasting Fairy spoke, unsurprised by Lu Yang’s awakening.

Lu Yang frowned, sensing that someone had sneaked into Li Haoran’s home in his sleep.

What was their purpose?
“Two people, mid-golden core stage,” the Everlasting Fairy informed him of the intruders’ situation.

Lu Yang was puzzled. Li’s father and mother were only at the Foundation Building Stage, with average financial means. What in Li Haoran’s home could attract golden core cultivators?

Could it be the Phoenix Blood Stone Meng Jingzhou bought?
Lu Yang wasn’t worried about danger. Even if Su Yiren didn’t intervene, he and Meng Jingzhou were more than capable of handling these two uninvited guests.

“Mr. Lu, Mr. Meng, are you awake?” Su Yiren’s voice echoed in Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou’s minds.

Li Haoran and Qin Yanyan, being less experienced, lacked the alertness of Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou.

“Just woke up,” Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou replied, “Senior Su, what’s the situation now?”

Su Yiren shook her head, “I don’t know much. I only know that two mid-golden core cultivators have sneaked into the house, behaving suspiciously. My intuition tells me there’s someone behind them. I want to capture them but worry about alerting their backers.”

“This is simple. Senior Su, you can stay on standby,” Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou quickly came up with a plan.

Under Su Yiren’s curious gaze, Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou skillfully donned night suits and quietly left the house.

The two golden core cultivators were clearly searching for something but didn’t dare use their divine senses for fear of being detected.

They had heard that a genius from the Dao Seeking Sect was in this house. Unless absolutely necessary, they didn’t want the Dao Seeking Sect to know about their actions.

They believed their movements were secretive, but they were already under observation.

They suddenly became alert, sensing danger approaching, and dodged Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou’s attack.

“To think you could dodge this strike, you have some skills,” Lu Yang sneered, using divine sense to communicate.

“Who are you! What are you doing at the Li residence?” the two golden core cultivators responded.

“Hah, you know the answer. Since we meet at the Li residence, what else could it be? Naturally, we’re here for that object!” Meng Jingzhou laughed nonchalantly, seemingly mocking the two for their foolish question, “As for who we are, who else would know about this matter?”

The two golden core cultivators widened their eyes, “How did you know!”

“There are no secrets in the world, no eternal mysteries. What should be known will be known, no matter how hard you try to hide it,” Lu Yang laughed, “Did you think you were the only ones interested in that object?”

“Damn it, how did the Mo family find out about the Phoenix Blood Stone!” the two golden core cultivators quickly deduced Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou’s identities.

It must be the Mo family, their rivals!

Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou exchanged glances; indeed, it was related to the Phoenix Blood Stone Meng bought.

The two golden core cultivators, realizing they were exposed, decided not to linger after a brief skirmish and fled.

Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou gave chase but couldn’t catch up with the fleeing golden core cultivators, feeling somewhat frustrated.

The two golden core cultivators, seeing they had escaped, hurried back to report.

“Senior Su, if we follow them, we’ll find out who’s behind this,” Lu Yang said, quickening his pace to follow the two golden core cultivators secretly.

Su Yiren looked at them oddly. How did they get so good at this sort of thing?

(End of the chapter)