Dao Equaling the Heavens
Chapter 397 - 20: Xuan Yue Appears

Chapter 397: Chapter 20: Xuan Yue Appears

Chenhua City’s days were as tranquil as ever, with highly profitable gambling houses bustling with business. Among them, one gambling house often emanated sounds of surprise, drawing the attention of passersby and attracting even more spectators.

Pushing through the crowded masses, one could see spirit stones piled up like mountains beside the gambling tables.

Gu Wen played four identical cards, instantly adding another layer to the already mountainous pile of spirit stones. With the last gambler leaving the scene, a steward from the Qianfeng Sect, behind the operation of the gambling house, stepped forward.

After asking other customers to leave, he clasped his hands and bowed deeply to the three of them, saying, "Esteemed seniors, this is just a small business, please show some mercy, some mercy, please."

Chi Yu Zi frowned and said, "You conduct business as usual, and I win money fairly. Why should I show mercy? Are you suggesting you won’t honor the bet, allowing only your gambling house to profit, but not others?"

A surge of presence pressed towards the gambling house manager, instantly making him bend even lower as he quickly explained, "Of course not, these spirit stones are all offered respectfully to the seniors..."

"What ’offered respectfully’? Are you insinuating that we cheated?"

"Absolutely not, I wouldn’t dare."

"You wouldn’t dare to accuse?"

Before Chi Yu Zi could reduce the Golden Core Cultivator to tears, Gu Wen spoke up, "Let’s call it a day. Don’t make things difficult for him."

Chi Yu Zi was still somewhat obstinate, saying, "We gambled fairly and didn’t cheat. The rules of the leaf game are simple, relying purely on luck, and the game pieces shield against Divine Sense, ensuring that higher cultivation does not equate to an advantage."

Their behavior was essentially an indirect defamation, insinuating that Gu Wen was cheating, which she could not tolerate.

"All right, all right, let’s leave it at that."

Gu Wen patted Chi Yu Zi on the head as if consoling a mountain bear, understanding that it was futile to reason with him and better to go along with the grain.

To put it nicely, Chi Yu Zi was upright and principled, steadfast in his ways, and very frank by nature. If it ever came to arguing the logic, he was usually on the just side, so it was crucial to appeal to his emotions.

"I just came to play a few hands, saw it was good fun, and that’s enough for me."

Gu Wen looked at the Golden Core Cultivator and asked, "Manager, this leaf game is quite interesting, could I buy a deck?"

"There’s no need to buy, I’ll fetch one for you."

The Golden Core Cultivator nodded again and again, and then instructed someone to bring over a light golden deck of cards.

Gu Wen fiddled with the leaf game cards. They resembled the leaf game played by her ancestors in a previous life, yet they were simpler.

The element of luck was greater, and should any skill be involved, someone with higher cultivation would have an advantage even without cheating.

The sheer unpredictability made it suitable for all ages.

"How old are you, manager?"

"Over seven hundred years."

"Have you ever heard of Qinghua Cake?"

The memories seemed to awaken in the Golden Core Cultivator after a moment of contemplation, and he replied, "I ate it in my childhood, but as times have changed, it disappeared along with the decline of the Ninghua Sect."

"The secret recipe is lost?"

"More likely, the special Qinghua needed to make the cakes is gone. Back then, it wasn’t only one vendor selling Qinghua Cakes, but only the Ninghua Sect sold Qinghua, with its fragrance far-reaching across thirty-six states of the Human Race."

"Thank you."

Gu Wen walked out of the gambling house, with Chi Yu Zi trailing half a step behind, asking, "Do you need me to bring that successor back?"

"Since it’s not a problem with the secret recipe, then there’s no need to make a great fuss over it; she will come back on her own."

By this time, the streets were chaotic with noise, and occasionally one could hear passersby discussing matters related to the Qianfeng Sect.

The descendant of the Ninghua Sect had been persecuted by the Qianfeng Sect. The position of Venerable was likely in jeopardy, and it seemed that the powers in Huajian Continent would soon change hands.

Chi Yu Zi naturally heard this too and asked again, "Will you help that demoness? Judging by the current situation, if you don’t take action, it’s very likely that the title of Venerable won’t be preserved."

"Let’s see."

Gu Wen’s ambiguous answer frustrated Chi Yu Zi, who huffed, "You always like to keep things to yourself."

"Keeping things to oneself is also part of cultivation."

"You can relate everything to cultivation, but is seeking this Qinghua Cake also for cultivation?"

"Of course, it is," Gu Wen replied seriously. "All beings have emotions, but time is heartless. When an entity has lived for millions of years, all its passions and desires will be worn away by time. Some get used to it; others sever their emotions."

"Yu Hua told me that Qinghua Cake can enlighten one to the nature of emotions."

Chi Yu Zi looked skeptical, "Really? If it’s indeed so miraculous, how could it have been lost? I haven’t heard of it eight hundred years ago."

"Could she lie to me?"

"Hmm..."

Chi Yu Zi pondered, then shook his head:

"Perhaps the Qinghua Cakes made specially have this effect? Just as some concoct medicines with wine, the Cultivation World has the concept of medicinal cuisine, and I’ve heard that the most exceptional chefs can cook dishes that help one break through the Returning to Void Stage."

Gu Wen said, "We’re heading to the Ninghua Sect’s former grounds next. Xie Yunnan, do you know the location?"

Xie Yunnan pulled out a jade slip, read it for a moment, then said, "It’s eight hundred li from Chenhua City. Since the Ninghua Sect’s disciples are gone, it should now be under the management of the City Lord Mansion. Once a successor reaches True Monarch status, it will be returned to the Ninghua Sect to avoid bringing them lethal trouble."

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Eight hundred li from Chenhua City, a snowy peak looms,

Forests stretch for a hundred li at the base, and blossoms cover a hundred li at the summit.

Pristine white flowers blanket the entire mountain. Along tiers upon tiers of terraced fields, following thousands of streams, the blooms stretch across a hundred thousand acres.

Gu Wen and her companions glided across the sky, looking down at the fields of flowers below, inhaling a fragrance that was familiar to her.

It turns out the sachet she used was made of Qinghua.

Below, a Golden Core Cultivator soared into the air, his aura revealing the cultivation technique of the Yuqing Sect.