Chapter 218: Entering the Capital

Yu Daoxuan had always given Lu Bai a certain impression—cool and distant, mysterious and unfathomable, ethereal and illusory, impossible to grasp.

Even when they sat across from each other, just a hand’s breadth away, Lu Bai still felt she was completely out of reach.

Seeing this rare display of emotion from Yu Daoxuan actually made her feel more real and approachable to him.

‘This man is really something else…’

Yu Daoxuan thought. ‘He usually looks so serious, steady, and experienced, but at times, he can be quite sly.

Now he’s getting bolder, pushing his luck and even daring to take advantage of me. I should give him a little scare.’

“A Spirit Root is something you are born with; it cannot be changed.”

Yu Daoxuan said lightly, “However, if you wish to change your Spirit Root, I do have a method we could try.”

“Oh?”

Lu Bai’s eyes lit up.

Recently, despite obtaining the Piercing Fire Chapter and cultivating whenever he had free time at night, he had made no progress in his Cultivation Realm.

He couldn’t even reach the first level of the Qi Refining Stage.

The Cultivation Technique’s grade was certainly low, but it shouldn’t have been *this* bad.

After thinking it over and over, he was sure it was because of his Mortal Spirit Root.

The lowest-grade Cultivation Technique, plus the most useless Spirit Root—double the trash.

If he could just raise the grade of his Spirit Root, things would definitely be different.

“What method?”

Lu Bai asked hastily, feeling a surge of excitement.

Yu Daoxuan asked in return, “Are you sure you want to use one of your chances for this?”

Lu Bai was about to agree when he thought he saw a flicker of imperceptible cunning in Yu Daoxuan’s eyes.

‘Was it my imagination?’

After a moment of contemplation, Lu Bai said cautiously, “Please tell me the method first, Daoist. Then I’ll decide whether to use my chance.”

“As I just said, a Spirit Root is something you are born with. Therefore, if you want to change it, there is only one way: reincarnation.”

Yu Daoxuan said, “If you need, I can help send you on your way.”

“On second thought, never mind…”

A shiver ran down Lu Bai’s spine.

‘We’ve only exchanged a few sentences and she’s already offering to send me off to be reincarnated? That’s outrageous!’

‘Who knows what could go wrong during reincarnation, or what I’d be reborn as?’

‘Besides, even if I were reborn as a human, there’s no guarantee I’d get a Top Grade Spirit Root. I might not even get a Mortal Spirit Root!’

Lu Bai thought for a moment, then asked, “May I ask, Daoist, why three strands of Dust Silk? And why are you helping me?”

“Two questions. If you want to know, I can tell you.”

Yu Daoxuan’s tone shifted. “However, it will cost you two strands of Dust Silk.”

Lu Bai reconsidered, shaking his head. “Then never mind.”

These questions were just to satisfy his curiosity.

Three strands of Dust Silk, three promises. There was no need to waste them on this.

Besides, Lu Bai had a faint suspicion of his own, but he couldn’t be sure.

Yu Daoxuan reminded him, “You killed so many people tonight. With your trip to the capital, various powers will be maneuvering against each other. To appease the public’s anger, you might not be able to escape unscathed.

If you want to leave the Wu Dynasty, you can use one of your chances.”

Lu Bai said, “There’s no rush. Let’s wait and see.”

In reality, there was another layer of meaning in Yu Daoxuan’s words when she gave him the three strands of Dust Silk.

Once the three promises were used, there would be no more connection between them.

The three strands of Dust Silk were the last karmic tie between them.

Back in Bluestone City, Lu Bai had already lost one chance to latch onto a powerful backer.

He couldn’t let this opportunity slip by so easily.

Unless he was absolutely forced to, he would try his best not to use these three promises.

As long as he held the three strands of Dust Silk, a bond would always exist between them.

Lu Bai temporarily left the Cyan Cloud Sword, the Storage Pouch he had picked up, and other items with his mother for safekeeping.

After entering the Capital City, he would surely be placed under restrictions. Carrying these items with him would only make them more likely to be confiscated.

Lu Bai also left Black Dog and Ah Ming behind, reassuring them for a bit before following Mo Tang back onto the Ancient Ship. It broke through the deep night and vanished from the skies above Jingzhou City.

Jingzhou City was in an uproar the entire night, and countless people couldn’t sleep.

The ultimate fates of Marquis Jingzhong, the Governor of Jingzhou, the Demon Suppression Envoy, Lu Bai, and the others were still unknown.

—————–

The Ancient Ship had no sails, nor any oars.

It was propelled only by the faint shimmering of the cyan light streams that wreathed its hull, soaring through the sea of stars at an incredible speed.

Lu Bai and Mo Tang stood on the deck.

The wind howled outside the ship’s railings but was blocked by an invisible barrier surrounding the Ancient Ship, which remained perfectly steady as it traveled at high speed.

Lu Bai marveled silently.

‘This method is even more advanced than Sword Flight.’

‘Moreover, this Ancient Ship can carry a good number of guards.’

‘It’s so much more convenient for both transport and providing support.’

The Ancient Ship sailed through a sea of clouds. Below, mountains and rivers shrank into a map, and towns and cities looked like pieces on a chessboard. The vast landscape was magnificent.

On the deck of the Ancient Ship, aside from Lu Bai and Mo Tang, stood several other people who were also out for some fresh air.

Besides Wu Lan, Liang Yifan, and Yu Weifeng, there was also an old man with grizzled hair and a beard.

The Martial Artists from the Shi and Mo Countries were all locked up.

Wu Lan and the others had not yet been convicted of any crime, so the restrictions on them were not as strict.

During this time, the old man with grizzled hair tried to approach Lu Bai, but he was interrupted by the sudden appearance of Li Qingtian.

“That old man must be Marquis Jingzhong. Be careful, and try to stay within Duke Wei’s line of sight.”

Mo Tang reminded him in a low voice.

She had never met Marquis Jingzhong before.

By the time she joined the Evil Extermination Bureau, Marquis Jingzhong had already been in seclusion for many years.

But from the old man’s actions, she could roughly guess his identity.

Just a moment ago, Marquis Jingzhong had indeed shown killing intent!

But very quickly, a pair of gazes as scorching as torches turned upon him!

Duke Wei, Li Qingtian!

It was both a warning and a threat.

Marquis Jingzhong quickly dismissed the thought.

With Li Qingtian present, he had absolutely no chance.

On the deck, no one spoke. The atmosphere was stifling and subtle.

Everyone’s heart was heavy with unease, completely unaware of whether fortune or disaster awaited them after entering the Capital City.

An unknown amount of time passed before a sliver of gray-white began to seep into the inky blackness of the distant horizon.

As time went on, that sliver of gray-white gradually spread, finally transforming into rays of golden light at dawn that showered down upon the Ancient Ship.

Dawn had broken.

Another hour passed. The Ancient Ship gave a slight shudder as it pierced through the last thin layer of flowing clouds.

The view ahead suddenly opened up.

They had arrived at the Wu Country Capital City!

The first thing that met their eyes was its boundless scale. The colossal city sprawled across the land, its borders stretching beyond sight. The city walls were dozens of zhang high, their bodies a deep, dark gold.

The surface of the walls was covered in dense runic engravings and the mottled marks of time’s erosion.

Within the city walls was a cluster of buildings so dense it defied imagination.

Countless streets crisscrossed, bustling with an endless stream of carriages and people, a picture of ultimate prosperity.

A canal of astonishing width cut straight through the Capital City, its surface busy with frequent boat traffic.

Even from high up in the air, they could feel the clamor rising from below—a cacophony of voices, the vibrant energy of mortal life rushing up to meet them.

The vermilion gates and high walls of aristocratic mansions stretched on endlessly. In the city’s central district, the glazed tiles of palace buildings reflected a dazzling golden light, exuding an air of solemn gravity.

That was precisely the direction the Ancient Ship was heading—the Royal Palace!