Upon entering, Lu Mingyue had intended to speak, but the sight before him sealed his lips.

Golden light, like flowing water, poured from the crown of the figure on the stone platform, seeping through skin and sinew, and even bone. From Lu Mingyue's position, he could see the exposed bones from the figure's wounds, now dyed a gilded hue.

The color was indeed dyed, not an illusion created by the glow.

Then, the hundred-odd wounds on the figure atop the stone platform began to close at a visible rate. During this process, the figure sweated profusely, its muscles twitching uncontrollably. Despite being unconscious, it seemed as if it might be jolted awake by the immense pain.

However, he did not wake up in the end.

As the golden light on the stone platform faded, the monk in front remained fixated on the figure, scanning it from head to toe, seemingly oblivious to the additional presence in the room. Seeing this, Lu Mingyue dared not disturb him. After a while, the monk finally exhaled and looked up to speak:

"Why did you come here?"

Bloodstains splattered on the monk's body and hands, starkly contrasting with his otherwise immaculate appearance. When he looked up, his features were square and dignified. A short beard adorned his lips, matching his eyebrows in a blend of black and white. If not for the few spots of blood, he would have looked impeccably groomed.

In contrast, Lu Mingyue, while not exactly ugly, had an unnaturally pale face tinged with an unhealthy blue. His sparse and yellowing beard made him look like a debauchee. His expression was even more unsightly now. Lowering his hand from his nose, he spat out:

"I can't stay in this sheer cliff city any longer!"

"Because of Xie Yan's sword?" The monk responded indifferently, his attention still mostly on the figure on the platform.

Lu Mingyue was not surprised by the monk's knowledge of the news, despite the fact that the latter had not left this underground secret chamber for half a month. He retorted bitterly, "That young pup, Xie Yan, back in the day, I could have crushed him with a single finger. How did I end up here, humiliated?"

The monk glanced at him, shaking his head, "Those were the old days. Decades ago, you could have easily defeated him, but his cultivation level has soared since then. Even if you were in your prime, you would barely manage a Pyrrhic victory against him now, let alone in your current state. There's no point in saying such meaningless things."

With that, he bent back to his work on the figure on the platform. Suddenly, as if remembering something, he looked up again, "What happened? You've lost face to these people more than once, but you've always endured. Why can't you bear it now?"

Perhaps because his work was going smoothly, he made a rare joke, "I heard that you had quite a time with two 'Red Aunties' at the pleasure house last night. You must have been thoroughly entertained."

Lu Mingyue gave a cold laugh, his pale face turning purple. He gritted his teeth, "If I don't vent my anger on women, should I go pick a fight with Xie Yan instead? Monk, you've seen it too. If this goes on, I'm finished, finished!"

His sudden loss of control took him by surprise. He didn't know why his anger was flaring up so fiercely. He bellowed loudly, the sound waves vibrating the sealed stone chamber. In his roar, he waved his hands wildly, his face twisted in rage.

"What was my Cultivation Level before? I was an Eternal Taoism Immortal! Have you ever seen an Eternal Taoism Immortal beaten to a pulp by a junior practicing Vacuum Walking? Have you ever seen an Eternal Taoism Immortal who relies solely on women for balance? Have you ever seen an Eternal Taoism Immortal who can only hide within this damned shell?"

He pounded his chest and head in frustration, not feeling any relief. With a fist, he slammed the stone platform which cracked with a loud snap, almost flipping the human figure on it. The Monk's smile faded, he furrowed his brows, and gently steadied his work without uttering a word.

"I was clearly at the Yang Spirit Perfection, with the Body of Longevity, yet now I've ended up like this. I spend my days pretending to be a fool, frolicking in a woman's arms. If this continues, I'll be no different from those Woodworm Cultivators. How much longer do I have to live? Ten years? Five years? Or will I be done tomorrow?"

Lu Mingyue's eyes were bloodshot as he glared at the Monk, seeming to blame his partner for his miserable state, ready to pounce at any moment.

Yet, the Monk remained calm.

In such a tense atmosphere, nothing could compare to his consistent tranquility. Lu Mingyue glared at him for a while longer before suddenly deflating. He propped himself up on the cracked stone platform, hung his head, and fell silent.

It was then that the Monk spoke, "Before you came, the order from our sect was clear. You were to leave Sheer Cliff City within a month and return to the sect to report, and then arrangements would be made."

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Lu Mingyue was stunned.

The Monk spoke lightly, "Indeed, things here have been handled terribly, causing the Sky Rift Valley matter to be indefinitely postponed. It's only normal that the sect has scolded us for this. However, you have spent decades in Sheer Cliff City. Although you haven't made any significant contributions, you have endured hardships. You even risked your life back then, which resulted in the destruction of your True Form Immortal Body. This, the Bodhisattva will not forget. Allowing you to return to the sect is to prolong your life and to give you another chance to make a contribution."

After saying this, the Monk looked at him sharply, "With the Bodhisattva's Infinite Divine Power, no woman can destroy you. However, resentment and disrespect can lead to your downfall, unable to recover even after a thousand Thunderbolt Tribulations. Since you believe in the Bodhisattva, you must remember this!"

Lu Mingyue's emotions were well controlled by the Monk. At this point, he was both shocked and delighted, unable to speak. He could only nod repeatedly.

Seeing his reaction, the Monk didn't say more, and directly changed the topic, "The Moon Demon Puppet was severely damaged by Liu Guan. I find it difficult to repair. When you return this time, take it with you. The sect will have arrangements. Hmm, I've tried to fix it a bit. Try it first to see if there are any control issues."

"Okay, okay!" Lu Mingyue responded.

Lu Mingyue finally confirmed that Monk was not joking with him. His emotions, oscillating between rage and joy, became increasingly hard to control. At this moment, Monk's words were law to him. He turned to look at the grey-white puppet seated cross-legged in the corner of the Stone Chamber. Without a word, he too sat cross-legged, formed a hand seal, and a Divine Light burst from the crown of his head, casting itself onto the puppet.

Soon, the Moon Demon Puppet began to stir. Given its towering stature, the Stone Chamber seemed a bit too low, so it did not stand up, merely flexing its limbs in place.

However, the puppet's movements quickly froze.

Monk was somewhat surprised, "What's wrong? Is there a problem?"

Lu Mingyue did not respond immediately. After a while, a muffled voice emerged from the puppet's throat:

"I remembered something."

"Hmm?"

"I'm trying to recall... something about rouge, Sword Energy, wind direction... Ah, it's the scent! The scent that the puppet remembered on the Sky Wing Tower!"

Monk, despite the disjointed and seemingly nonsensical words, managed to understand. He set down his work, his cold eyes lighting up.

***********

In the eyes of the prepared, the flow of time is orderly and methodical.

Such was the case with Yu Ci. His days were spent using the Soul Controlling Method to nourish the Fish-Dragon, refining the Divine Bronze Mirror and Tao Scripture Master Three Treasure Seal, two magical instruments. Occasionally, he would handle some affairs within the city, mostly related to the Treasure Exchange Banquet. Time clearly flowed before his eyes, leading up to the day of the Treasure Exchange Banquet.

It was now mid-afternoon, and the Sky Wing Tower was bustling with people coming and going, mostly congregating on the two enclosed bridges on either side. This was where the city's more notable figures gathered, there for the spectacle. As for the main building of the Sky Wing Tower, it was entirely occupied by cultivators from various places.

Due to an encounter with a Thunderbolt Tribulation on the road, the Random Heart Pavilion's trade caravan arrived late, only reaching the sheer cliff city this morning, and immediately began preparations.

According to their custom, the Treasure Exchange Banquet was held in two places. The first, second, and third floors of the main building primarily showcased common magical instruments for exchange with cultivators from various places, akin to a public trade fair. However, occasionally, some rare treasures would appear, worth pursuing.

As for the top floor, it was, of course, the place to display high-level magical instruments, accessible only to cultivators of a certain status and wealth. There was an unwritten rule that only Golden Elixir Cultivators and above were eligible to enter.

Of course, these rules held no sway over Yu Ci. In the present state of the sheer cliff city, no one dared to bar him at the base of the tower.

The day Xie Yan wielded his sword from the heavens, his stance was laid bare for all to see. Yu Ci's position as the spokesman for the Lichen Sect became unassailable. Compared to the elusive Xie Yan, who was often absent, Yu Ci was a more tangible presence in the eyes of the various powers in the sheer cliff city. Thus, he successfully created an impression and was turning it into reality:

The will of the Lichen Sect was being conveyed through this young man.

Now, people understood who the real decision-maker of the sheer cliff city was. The attitudes and behaviors of some related individuals began to change, some subtly and slowly, others much more swiftly.

The man before them clearly belonged to the latter category.

"We brothers are new to this place and ignorant of the rules, acting recklessly. We are indebted to Daoist friend Yu Ci for his magnanimity in not holding our actions against us. We are eternally grateful. Please accept this humble gift as a token of our respect."

The mountain wind blew fiercely, and a plump lion cat dozed in the sunlight. Its owner, with a fair and delicate face, wore a sincere smile as he presented a flat jade box with both hands.

"This is the renowned Spirit Medicine Black Tide Blood Paste from my North Wilderness. It is made from the natural scent pouch of the spirit beast in the Black Tide, mixed with other medicinal ingredients. Regularly sniffed, it can calm the mind and is very beneficial for cultivation."

The speaker was none other than Zhao Zirui. At this moment, he didn't seem like a master at the Middle Stage of the Golden Elixir. Facing Yu Ci, who was a whole realm below him, this "guest" from the North Wilderness was sincerely apologizing for the conflict eight days ago, with all due respect.

Yu Ci, without being pretentious, didn't coldly refuse. With a slight bow in his smile, he accepted the jade box without inspecting it and casually set it aside.

Although Zhao Zirui hadn't met with him in the past eight days, he had expressed his apology through various channels until the time was ripe today to approach him. But that's not quite right.

Because at this moment, the wind was blowing from all sides, there were no doors, and Yu Ci was on top of the cliff above the Sky Wing Tower.

There were three hours left until the official start of the Treasure Exchange Banquet.

*********

All the key figures are almost ready, and the banquet drama is about to begin. Brothers and sisters, please show your support. We need all your votes and bookmarks.

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I have also posted the following more chapters [All free] on: https://www.readgates.com/article/74a39e