Chapter 157: Final Disciple

The mist and miasma surged, ash dust and debris scattered like specks of starlight, flickering with an enthralling radiance.

The Second-Tier Defensive Formation, the Stellar Whirl Cloud Barrier Formation, combined with the Second-Tier Killing Formation, the Stardust Illusion-Kill Formation, were both activated!

And they were instantly released, saving him the time of setting up the formation in advance.

Ji Yuan looked at the two seemingly ordinary little iron huts before him, and his heart settled.

If this method worked, it would mean he now had two instantly deployable Second-Tier Formations. This effect could completely serve as one of his trump cards!

Moreover, it was a trump card that could be used both offensively and defensively.

To be bold, with these two formations, Ji Yuan even dared to try clashing against a cultivator at the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment.

Nothing else, but unless they were formation specialists extremely skilled in formations, ordinary cultivators would find it hard to break through these two arrays of his. Not to mention, he could still use the formations as cover to launch sneak attacks.

If he encountered an opponent he couldn’t defeat, he could still use the formations to stall for time, and then escape with the Talisman Treasure: Sky-Escape Shuttle.

Even if we took ten thousand steps back, even if these formations were truly destroyed, it didn’t matter. If destroyed, he could simply take out another 【Formation Room】 and reopen them.

"Looks like I’ll need to prepare a few more of these iron huts. In case during a fight, even if the formations aren’t broken, someone destroys the hut, I’d still have a backup ready."

Ji Yuan pondered to himself. Going back to ask the Island Lord of Iron Hammer Island again wouldn’t be too proper. He planned to find time to ask Feng Zhi Tao to introduce a weapon refiner, so he could spend Spirit Stones to have them made.

He could also refine them himself, it just took a bit longer.

With that thought, Ji Yuan moved his mind and retracted the formations, then collected the two iron huts into his storage pouch.

The mist that originally enveloped this deserted island also began to gradually dissipate. Ji Yuan summoned the Thunder Falcon Boat, his figure turning into a streak of purple light, and once again returned to the Water Dragon Sect.

This time he didn’t delay; traveling from west to east, he took two days to cross the entire Water Dragon Sect.

Eventually, he arrived at the eastern edge of the Water Dragon Sect—Drunken Flower Island.

Ji Yuan’s flying boat hovered outside the island, and he slightly cupped his fists."Master, disciple seeks an audience."

"Come in."

Hua Yaoyue’s voice was still as languid as ever, as if she could never fully awaken.

Immediately, the formation opened a slit. Ji Yuan’s flying boat slipped in, heading straight for the mountainside pavilion where they last met, but upon arrival, he found Hua Yaoyue wasn’t inside.

"I’m at the summit."

Hua Yaoyue’s voice rang in Ji Yuan’s ears, prompting him to steer the flying boat toward the peak of Drunken Flower Island.

This was Ji Yuan’s first time up there. At the summit stood a small green-tile dwelling, hidden amidst flowers and trees. Stones blocked the front view, and on both sides were small lakes. The mountain wind blew from north to south, gently swaying the wind chimes hanging at the doorway.

Truly, upon seeing this scene, Ji Yuan felt it was like a celestial abode.

Hmm· Looks like when he returned, it was necessary to start decorating his own island. After all, his island had just risen from beneath the water, and those first few days the ground was still sticky. He had even asked Feng Zhi Tao to use fire techniques to burn it several times inside and out before it was habitable.

Time—everything needed time to be arranged slowly.

Ji Yuan landed in front of the small dwelling, put away the flying boat, and didn’t dare enter. He simply cupped his fists at the door.

Only then did Hua Yaoyue’s helpless voice ring out from inside.

"Just come in. Must I always invite you?"

"I wouldn’t dare, wouldn’t dare."

Ji Yuan quickly replied, then slowly crossed the stone bridge above the small lake—it seemed like a fine spot to raise fish, could be turned into a 【Fish Pond】.

As the farm owner Ji Yuan gazed at the surroundings, he instinctively began pondering how to start farming.

After crossing the stone bridge and entering the green-tile dwelling, he finally saw what it looked like inside.

The first floor had two side rooms to the left and right. The central hall was open from front to back, with beaded curtains as doors.

The wind chimes jingled through the room, like a beauty playing music.

There was also a staircase leading to the second floor, but Ji Yuan only glanced at it before looking away and heading toward the left side room.

There, he could sense Hua Yaoyue’s presence.

Surprisingly, this time she wasn’t lying down drinking as usual, but standing by a window tending to a pot of flowers.

Ji Yuan cupped his fists slightly.

Hua Yaoyue finally put down what she was doing and turned around."I heard from Feng Zhi Tao that you’re not planning to hold a celebration for your island inauguration?"

"That—indeed, this disciple thinks it’s unnecessary, and too likely to attract attention."

Ji Yuan answered truthfully.

"Mm, your temperament is the exact opposite of your Second Senior Brother."

Hua Yaoyue clasped her hands behind her back, neither agreeing nor disagreeing."Speak, what brings you here?"

"It’s like this. During the time this disciple was in seclusion for Foundation Establishment, I also brewed a kind of Spiritual Wine. The flavor is quite good, so I thought to bring it to Master for a tasting."

"Oh?"

Mentioning alcohol immediately piqued Hua Yaoyue’s interest."Bring it over, let me try."

Even her voice sounded livelier.

"Yes."

Ji Yuan cupped his hands and took out a jug of Wishful Wine, elegantly packaged in a jade flask. He had cultivated on Misty Island for five days and produced five flasks in total, one tael per flask. He had brought all of them this time.

Hua Yaoyue beckoned lightly with her hand, and the Wishful Wine flew into her hand. She removed the stopper and first sniffed lightly at the bottle’s mouth.

"Hmm?"

She frowned slightly.

Ji Yuan’s heart tensed instantly, but right after, Hua Yaoyue drank a sip from the jade flask without the slightest suspicion.

A mouthful of wine down the throat.

The frown on Hua Yaoyue’s face instantly melted away, and her previously expressionless face bloomed with a smile—seemed like Master was in a good mood right now, so the Wishful Wine had amplified her inner feelings.

Hua Yaoyue raised the wine and glanced at it, gently swirling the contents.

Her smile slowly faded, her face returning to its usual blank look.

She paused for a moment before taking a second sip of the Wishful Wine.

After this sip, her eyes carried a faint sorrow that could not be concealed. Her entire demeanor seemed to soften, with even a trace of melancholic elegance.

Wait a minute, weren’t you just in a great mood?

Ji Yuan suddenly realized something—Hua Yaoyue, could it be that she was capable of controlling her own emotions?

This... this damn well—is she even human?

Want to be happy, then be happy. Want to be sad, then be sad?

After waiting a moment, the sadness on Hua Yaoyue’s face faded as well, and she returned to her original expressionless state.

Still not quite believing it, she took another sip of the Wishful Wine.

This time, after drinking, she didn’t feel anything. By the time she wanted another sip, she found the flask already emptied.

"Is there more?"

Hua Yaoyue, as if it were only natural, stretched her hand toward Ji Yuan.

"There are three more flasks."

Ji Yuan handed over three, keeping one left in his storage pouch.

One should always leave a margin. Although during the ten-some days he’d been away, the 【Wine Cellar】 hadn’t stopped producing,

by now, counting it up, Tu Yue should’ve already collected a dozen or so flasks of Wishful Wine.

But that would have to wait until they were in hand.

After receiving them, Hua Yaoyue stowed away two flasks, then downed the last one in a single breath.

After drinking, she closed her eyes, tilted her head slightly upward, exposing her snow-white neck as if savoring the taste carefully.

Only after half a stick of incense time did she slowly open her eyes, a golden glint flickering briefly in her gaze.

"This wine—did you truly brew it yourself?"

Hua Yaoyue asked softly.

"Exactly."

Produced by the 【Wine Cellar】, it naturally counted as self-brewed.

The effort of the panel was his own effort.

"How much can it yield?"

Hua Yaoyue pursued the question.

"Mm, this wine needs to be brewed and then blended, which is rather difficult. At most, only about one jin can be produced per month."

One tael a day, the Wine Cellar could produce three jin a month, but Ji Yuan habitually reserved a portion.

Hua Yaoyue stared at Ji Yuan for a few seconds."If I give you 100 Middle-Grade Spirit Stones per month, can you brew more?"

"What?!"

Ji Yuan looked up in slight shock at the woman before him. So—even Master could desire something this much?

She even proposed a transaction.

Ji Yuan guessed, Hua Yaoyue wasn’t just being greedy for drink this time. This wine must have some other use for her. If it were only about taste, she probably wouldn’t have proposed a deal with her own disciple.

But could he agree to this deal?

A hundred Spirit Stones a month sounded like a lot—well, to be fair, it actually was a lot.

But if he agreed, the master-disciple bond between him and Hua Yaoyue might end here.

Not to mention the Jade Cup she previously gifted him, capable of withstanding attacks from the Golden Core Stage, and the 《Breath Concealment Art》, which could be considered Supreme-Grade.

If Master asked for a favor today, and he demanded Spirit Stones—then in the future, he probably wouldn’t be able to ask her for help anymore.』

The dealings between people were reciprocal in nature. And if he accepted those Spirit Stones, then giving the Wishful Wine would become a transaction,

and sentiment would no longer be involved. But if he refused the Spirit Stones, then Hua Yaoyue would undoubtedly owe him a favor.』

『A favor from someone suspected to be in the Late Golden Core Stage—surely that’s worth more than a few Spirit Stones? Not to mention, I am her personal disciple.』

With that thought, Ji Yuan bowed deeply toward Hua Yaoyue once again.

"Master flatters this disciple too much."

"Being able to brew a wine that Master enjoys is already this disciple’s honor. How could I be greedy for money—please rest assured, Master, from now on, even if I have to go without food, drink, or cultivation, I will brew one and a half jin—no, two jin! Two jin of this Wishful Wine every month."

Ji Yuan gritted his teeth as he declared.

Hua Yaoyue clasped her hands behind her back and simply looked at Ji Yuan with an expressionless face. Only after a while did she speak."Rise."

"Yes."

Only then did Ji Yuan straighten his back.

"Go close the door."

Hua Yaoyue casually ordered, then turned and sat on a nearby chair. This time, she sat more properly.

Ji Yuan didn’t understand why Hua Yaoyue suddenly wanted him to shut the door. Besides, wasn’t closing the door something she could do with a single thought?

But since she had said so, Ji Yuan could only comply honestly, turning to close the room door.

When he returned in front of Hua Yaoyue after closing the door, he heard her say:

"From now on, you, Ji Yuan, shall be my final disciple."

"What?!"

This shocked Ji Yuan even more—more than hearing her offer Spirit Stones earlier.

Just for offering her some wine, he’d been accepted as her final disciple?

And since when did ‘final disciple’ carry this meaning? Fine, he really was a final disciple now—this was…—

While thrilled in his heart, Ji Yuan didn’t forget to complain inwardly.

"Not going to lie, this Wishful Wine you brewed—its name fits—it’s beneficial to my cultivation."

Hua Yaoyue casually revealed the truth, resolving Ji Yuan’s confusion.

So it turned out, her drinking was actually for cultivation?

What kind of cultivation technique was this—how strange.

Ji Yuan nodded earnestly."Please be assured, Master. From this day on, this disciple will devote himself to brewing this Wishful Wine."

"Mm, you’ve worked hard. If you run into any trouble in the future, just come talk to me. Anything I can help with, I will do my best to assist you."

A Golden Core cultivator saying this to a Foundation Establishment disciple—it carried great weight.

Ji Yuan was so moved he almost pulled out the last remaining flask of Wishful Wine from his storage pouch—but ultimately, he held back. If he took it out now, it would be meaningless, and worse, make him seem like he was hiding something from her.

"Thank you, Master."

With those words to rely on, Ji Yuan could now feel a bit more at ease within the Water Dragon Sect.

At least he wouldn’t have to worry about other Golden Cores making things difficult for him—this Wishful Wine offering was worth it. Of course, only when offered to Hua Yaoyue did it yield such results.

If it had been any other Golden Core, giving them the wine probably wouldn’t have done much.

"Master, Master."

A lighthearted voice suddenly sounded from outside the door.

Immediately, the door was pushed open from outside, and a young woman in a bright red long dress skipped her way in. But the moment she entered and saw the scene inside the room, she instinctively froze.

"Li—Little Junior Brother, why are you here too?"

Feng Zhi Tao wanted to say more—that it was one thing for him to be here, but why was he having a private conversation with Master with the door closed? But she swallowed her words.

"I came to consult Master about something."

Ji Yuan didn’t mention the matter of the Wishful Wine.

But unexpectedly, Hua Yaoyue said directly,"From now on, Ji Yuan is my final disciple."

"What?!"

Now it was Feng Zhi Tao’s turn to be shocked.

Her cherry-like mouth opened roundly and she forgot to close it for a while.

"Master, you… Little Junior Brother, you—"

"My energy is limited. Taking on the four of you as disciples is quite enough."

Hua Yaoyue rarely explained things of her own accord, and she didn’t reveal that Ji Yuan had offered the Wishful Wine.

So—was it that she didn’t want Feng Zhi Tao and the others to know she had accepted him as her final disciple because she needed his wine? Or was it that she didn’t want anyone to know she cultivated through wine? Ji Yuan couldn’t help but wonder.

But soon, he didn’t have to guess, because Hua Yaoyue’s voice rang in his mind through Divine Sense Transmission.

"The matter of cultivating with wine—it's enough that you know. No need to speak of it to outsiders."

Ji Yuan dared not reply. Hua Yaoyue used Divine Sense Transmission, which Feng Zhi Tao couldn’t detect, but if he used it in return, Feng Zhi Tao—being in the late Foundation Establishment stage—might well notice.

So Ji Yuan simply nodded without changing expression.

"I see."

Feng Zhi Tao nodded half-believingly. She still felt something was being hidden from her between Hua Yaoyue and Ji Yuan, but didn’t dare to press.

"What did you come for?"

"Actually, it’s nothing much. Today is the 39th anniversary of the day I became your disciple, so I just wanted to chat with Master. And since Little Junior Brother is here—Master, let me tell you, Little Junior Brother’s cooking is amazing.

So fragrant, so delicious!"

Feng Zhi Tao became animated as she recalled it.

Hua Yaoyue raised her brows slightly."Already at Foundation Establishment, yet still indulging in such worldly cravings."

"It’s really good."

Half an hour later, when Hua Yaoyue tasted Ji Yuan’s dishes, she could no longer suppress her thoughts and praised him sincerely.

"Little Junior Brother, where did you learn to cook like this? It’s one thing to progress quickly in cultivation, but to cook this well too…"

Feng Zhi Tao mumbled indistinctly as she ate.

Ji Yuan first had a cup of wine with Hua Yaoyue before smiling and replying,"Senior Sister might not know, but I come from Yunyu Marshlands. Since young, I followed my parents fishing for a living. When they weren’t home, I had to cook for myself, and over time, my skills just developed."

Of course, if that were the only case, his cooking wouldn’t be this good.

More importantly, the 【Kitchen】 increased the deliciousness of dishes by 20%. But what did that mean?

Everyone’s tastes differ.

So Ji Yuan believed this 20% was a subjective boost—no matter one's palate, as long as one ate food he cooked, it would feel just right.

That’s why everyone thought his food tasted amazing.

Otherwise, with so many types of people, it’d be impossible for them all to find his cooking delicious.

"So that’s how it is."

Ji Yuan took the chance to ask,"What about you, Senior Sister? Where are you from?"

His previous companions had all come out of Yunyu Marshlands—hardships forged their bond and there wasn’t much mystery. But Feng Zhi Tao likely wasn’t the same.

"Me?"

Feng Zhi Tao pondered a moment before replying,"I come from a mortal kingdom to the south. I was found to have a True Spiritual Root and was brought back to the sect for cultivation."

"Oh? Which country?"

Ji Yuan had never been to the mortal kingdoms, though he’d heard the spiritual energy there was scarce, making cultivation even harder. Even if cultivators existed, most were Qi Refining wanderers.

Very poor.

"Western Phoenix Kingdom."

After Feng Zhi Tao spoke, Hua Yaoyue added,"And she’s a princess of Western Phoenix Kingdom."

"Senior Sister’s a princess?"

Hearing this, Ji Yuan couldn’t help but look Feng Zhi Tao over a few more times. Indeed, with her looks and attire, she fully matched the identity of a princess.

"An old princess by now."

Feng Zhi Tao rolled her eyes."I heard recently that Western Phoenix Kingdom’s throne changed hands a few times. The current emperor’s just a little kid. If he saw me, he’d probably have to call me Auntie Princess."

Then Ji Yuan inquired about Second Senior Brother Yun Qianzai’s background.

"Second Senior Brother? He’s from the coastal city of Linhai in the east. He came from a Foundation Establishment family—his clan even had an elder at the peak of Foundation Establishment. Now, of course, his own strength is at ancestor level."

"I heard when he went back recently, he caught his Third Uncle and made him call him Ancestor. It was hilarious."

Feng Zhi Tao couldn’t stop laughing.

Ji Yuan also couldn’t help chuckling. That indeed suited Yun Qianzai’s personality.

After that, the two chatted leisurely for a long while.

Hua Yaoyue just sat nearby, occasionally sipping wine, sometimes zoning out in silence. But when Ji Yuan and Feng Zhi Tao asked her something, she would still respond.

She just didn’t talk much, that’s all.

Ji Yuan stayed on Drunken Flower Island until nightfall before leaving.

Only as he departed did Hua Yaoyue’s voice echo in his mind via Divine Sense Transmission.

"The Wishful Wine is good. Just don’t give me any you’ve already tasted next time."

This made Ji Yuan, already aboard his flying boat, startle in midair. He hurriedly replied,"Yes, yes, this disciple was careless.

I beg Master’s forgiveness."

"It’s fine, go on."

Hua Yaoyue’s tone remained lazy and relaxed.

Ji Yuan then headed straight south, not even pausing at his own island, flying directly to Misty Island.

This time, upon return, he could upgrade the 【Fish Pond】.

He had long been looking forward to the spiritual effect of the Level 3 【Fish Pond】, especially the 【Rainbow Carp Transforms into Flood Dragon】—a spiritual effect that had a chance of producing a Third-Tier Monster Beast hatchling!

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