Chapter 57: Semi-Divine Grade Medicinal Pill

Lu Qingyun was well aware of his current condition. Even if the people around him wanted to help, they might easily be targeted by the Cui family.

He was determined not to let them suffer because of him. As long as it was a matter he could resolve himself, he would never burden others.

At that moment, however, Cui Jue wore an air of absolute confidence and chuckled.

"You are a great hero now; what is there to be nervous about? Besides, Elder Hong is still right here, so what could I possibly do? Aren't you being a bit too overly cautious?"

Cui Jue must have received guidance from some formidable expert within a short period of time; otherwise, it would have been impossible for him to be in this state.

Especially given how he spoke—words he would never have been able to utter in the past!

Looking at Elder Hong beside him, Lu Qingyun knew very well that the old man was in a difficult position. After all, if Elder Hong were to take a stand against the Cui family, it would bring immense trouble upon himself.

Lu Qingyun still had no idea what Cui Jue was actually plotting, but at the very least, he needed to figure out his true objective.

Regardless of the circumstances, Lu Qingyun could not show the slightest trace of cowardice.

He looked expressionlessly at Cui Jue. The last time, Cui Jue had almost poisoned them to death. Yet now, with Elder Hong accompanying them, Cui Jue had the audacity to appear before them once again. This whole situation made one's skin crawl.

Seeing that serious look on Cui Jue's face, Lu Qingyun sensed that a very peculiar conspiracy must be lurking beneath the surface.

No matter what, he had to be ready to deal with Cui Jue at any moment.

Cui Jue's serious expression suddenly vanished as he leaned in close. That loathsome demeanor of his was utterly disgusting!

With an ugly expression, Cui Jue sneered.

"Well, well, I never expected you to change so much in such a short span of time. I thought absorbing that kind of treasure would transform you, but it turns out your cultivation hasn't advanced by even an inch."

"I don't think I need to emphasize how precious that item was. For you to remain completely unchanged now is nothing short of pearls before swine!"

Lu Qingyun had never held any fondness for him to begin with, and this sudden outburst of bizarre remarks left him completely baffled.

He genuinely could not understand why Cui Jue would act this way, nor why he felt compelled to say such things.

Could mocking him possibly bring any benefits? Lu Qingyun frowned deeply, having no clue what his opponent was aiming for.

Quickly regaining his composure, Lu Qingyun replied with a blank expression,

"Do I need to explain my achievements to you? I really don't get what you're trying to pull. What's the point of saying all this anyway?"

"I used to think you were a clever person—at least relatively normal compared to those fools. I suppose I simply overestimated you..."

By now, Lu Qingyun had completely regained his calm. Dealing with the fellow before him required a great deal of mental fortitude.

Once his mind was settled, hardly anyone could match his clarity of thought.

Although Cui Jue had temporarily maintained a normal facade, once Lu Qingyun calmed down, his aura completely overshadowed anyone else present.

Elder Hong and the others looked at Lu Qingyun with lingering doubts. Even though he was temporarily devoid of spiritual power to sustain him, where on earth did he get such confidence?

They knew that if they were ever deprived of spiritual power—or temporarily unable to use it—they would undoubtedly choose to lie low, utterly incapable of facing any enemies.

Remaining in such a vulnerable state would only invite massive trouble.

Even worse, some despicable individuals would deliberately choose to strike during the transition period right after someone made a breakthrough.

Those vile people never felt any sense of shame; they only believed that attacking at such a moment guaranteed absolute victory.

After all, nobody wanted to face a formidable enemy head-on. Lu Qingyun finally understood that these scoundrels likely intended to strike while he was at his weakest.

They must have hatched a very detailed plan, holding back their assault only because Elder Hong was present.

This tactic was undeniably effective, which proved that the Cui family possessed truly formidable methods.

It was just a pity that Cui Jue was squandering such resources. He was nothing more than a hopeless fool, and it took only a few words from Lu Qingyun to shatter his composure entirely.

Cui Jue roared furiously,

"What do you mean by that? There isn't an ounce of spiritual power left in your body right now! What gives you the right to be so arrogant?"

"Think you're a hero just because of one little stunt? It was pure luck! If you truly had that kind of strength, why didn't you step up earlier?"

Seeing Cui Jue lose his cool, Lu Qingyun found it utterly comical, and a rather strange feeling washed over him.

Dealing with this man felt almost like bullying someone—like a dog that had bitten him, leaving him with the bizarre urge to bite right back.

Yet Cui Jue was not a complete madman; he still possessed a shred of brainpower.

Slowly shaking his head, Lu Qingyun spoke in an even, tranquil tone,

"I have never thought of myself that way, and I don't know how you arrived at such a conclusion. But since you insist on calling me a hero, how could I possibly refuse the title?"

"If you were to attack me right now, putting aside how Elder Hong might punish you, the very people I saved wouldn't let you off either, would they?"

The confident manner in which Lu Qingyun carried himself was truly impressive.

Even Elder Hong beside him was deeply astonished, realizing just how vast the difference is between true confidence and sheer arrogance.

Though he still harbored some concern for Lu Qingyun's safety, matters had reached a point where excessive hesitation was no longer necessary.

Given his current state, handling Cui Jue would be effortless for Lu Qingyun!

Unable to contain himself any longer, Cui Jue shouted in a fit of rage,

"Lu Qingyun! Word of your deeds has already reached Hanhai City. The moment you step off this ship, someone will come to claim your wretched life! I will make you kneel and apologize to me in front of everyone!"

"Don't you love playing the hero? This time, I'll make sure you get your fill. I'll chop you into pieces and feed you to the dogs so you can learn the true meaning of cruelty!"

Cui Jue threw a tantrum just like a spoiled child who caused trouble outside and rushed home to complain to his parents.

They were all cultivators, individuals whose strength was supposed to reach certain heights, blessed with abundant resources that could have elevated them to even greater realms.

Yet these pampered aristocrats always wasted all their energy obsessing over others.

Lu Qingyun simply could not fathom their mindset, nor did he understand what drove them.

If they were going to waste so much cultivation resource without putting it to good use, they were the ones truly guilty of squandering heaven's gifts!

Fixating his cold gaze on Cui Jue, Lu Qingyun drew the Qingyun Sword in response to the incessant provocation.

With chilling eyes and a deep, low voice, he said,

"Cui Jue, just because I can't use my spiritual power right now, you assume you can match me? Why have you never reflected on how utterly pathetic your own strength is?"

"Even without spiritual power, relying solely on my swordsmanship is more than enough to show you my true prowess and let you see the level of power I have attained!"

Lu Qingyun was brimming with confidence, convinced that even without spiritual energy, his footwork and sword techniques would suffice to teach this fool what kind of person he had provoked.

Cui Jue was thoroughly irritated by the cold, disdainful look in Lu Qingyun's eyes.

He snapped viciously,

"Elder Hong! Since he's acting this arrogant, do you dare loosen the rules and let us have a duel so he can witness my true strength?"

Naturally wanting to protect Lu Qingyun, Elder Hong firmly shook his head upon hearing the proposal and stated in a grave tone,

"I have no interest in meddling in your personal grievances, but the rules of this vessel cannot be altered. Have you ever known a large ship to make an exception?"

"Once we disembark, whatever methods you choose to employ are none of my concern, nor do I care what tricks you pull."

"However, if either of you dares to strike while on board, I guarantee you will pay a heavy price. I don't care about the sects or clans backing you; I only care about the rules of this place."

Elder Hong's resolute demeanor carried immense authority, a presence none of them dared to challenge.

He intentionally released a wave of pressure, and the sheer might he displayed effectively stopped them from making any rash moves.

Knowing full well what Elder Hong meant, Lu Qingyun withdrew the Qingyun Sword back into its scabbard.

Fuming with anger, Cui Jue flicked his sleeves in disgust and stormed away.

Once he had departed, Elder Hong turned to Lu Qingyun and spoke slowly,

"We will reach Hanhai City in three or four days. You must be extremely careful. Although the Cui family is a prominent clan, they are notoriously petty."

"Staying safe won't be easy. I've thought of a few solutions, but none of them seem foolproof. Still, those were my last resorts..."

Hearing such words from Elder Hong filled Lu Qingyun with deep gratitude.

After all, there was no profound bond between them; they were merely acquaintances who had just met.

With eyes full of appreciation, Lu Qingyun said,

"Senior, I am deeply moved that you would say this to me. You have already done a great deal for me—things you were under no obligation to do."

"If I manage to survive this and recover my spiritual power, I promise to refine some medicinal pills for you. It's not much, but it is the least I can do."

Having no rare treasures on hand, making such a promise was already a significant gesture on Lu Qingyun's part.

As for what the future held, no one could tell. Even if Lu Qingyun was a genius, now that he was embroiled in such trouble, who could predict tomorrow?

After exchanging a brief farewell with Meng Tianhai, Elder Hong took his leave.

Looking at the worried expressions of his companions, Lu Qingyun smiled and said,

"Every man is responsible for his own deeds; they will undoubtedly target me alone. You must find a way to escape. I trust they won't give you too much trouble."

"If all else fails, simply remain on the ship and don't disembark. After another half month, you can return and focus purely on your cultivation, far away from all these worldly entanglements..."

A hint of melancholy lingered in Lu Qingyun's heart. After all, who would willingly lose control of their spiritual power?

Many events had surpassed their capabilities. If they could simply keep a low profile upon reaching Hanhai City, they might still accomplish the mission entrusted to them by the City Lord of Bixiao City.

Judging by the current situation, however, keeping a low profile was no longer an option. The moment the ship docked and Lu Qingyun appeared, it would inevitably cause a massive sensation.

Meng Li chimed in softly from the side,

"Rest assured, my father has already made all necessary preparations to ensure we don't get dragged into trouble. The Cui family is nothing; they won't dare do anything to us!"

Despite having wandered the outside world for a long time, Meng Li still retained her innate pride.

Powerful as the Cui family might be, compared to the former Meng family, they were merely small fry.

Her words sounded entirely natural under the circumstances.

Fatty Wang chuckled and added,

"Hmph, how formidable could they possibly be? Without you, we would have died countless times over. Even if I had to spit on their faces, I wouldn't run away!"

Han Man chimed in with equal determination,

"How many powerful clans haven't we seen? If we die, it'll be because they rely on their power to bully others. If we were to run now, we wouldn't have a single day of peace for the rest of our lives!"

Hearing their words, Lu Qingyun felt a profound sense of warmth and gratification.

To have such loyal friends in this lifetime was truly a joyous blessing.

Even so, Lu Qingyun shook his head slightly and said,

"It's too early to draw conclusions. We'll cross that bridge when we get there..."

Leading them back to their quarters, the atmosphere remained heavy and subdued.

Lu Qingyun had always been their backbone; his dimmed spirits naturally affected everyone else.

Returning to his private room, Lu Qingyun sat down quietly.

There was one detail he had kept from everyone: the reward bestowed by the system was far beyond what appeared on the surface, and his crippled state earlier had been entirely an act.

He produced a dark grey medicinal pill from his storage. It looked remarkably like a clump of wood ash rolled together, and fittingly, its name was the Wood Ash Pill!

Judging by its grade, it was a semi-divine pill whose primary function was to absorb excess spiritual energy within the body and temporarily store it safely inside the pill itself.

A confident smile curled the corners of Lu Qingyun's lips as he quietly began to undo the seal of the Azure Dragon...