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Chapter 79 - Departure
🕑 Added 2025-04-09 23:48:53 +0000 UTCIt was night, and the full moon filled the sky, making the world not much darker than during the day.
In the middle of the forest stood a mountain. Although nothing could be seen at first glance, a cave was hidden there, concealed by simple formations.
Inside, Aotian and Rihai lay together, staring at the campfire that warmed the night. A few other formations handled the smoke from the fire.
"Formations without a spiritual vein to support them really consume a lot," Aotian complained, watching a mid-grade stone slowly lose its glow under the cave's formation consumption.
"Mm, the amount of spiritual energy present in the environment on this continent is very faint. For formations to work without a vein, they need to constantly draw energy from spirit stones," Rihai explained, her eyes lit by the flames as her head rested on Aotian's chest.
"Continent…" Aotian murmured the word, eyes gleaming as he looked at Rihai.
"Hai'er, can you tell me more about the continents of this world? I think you once mentioned the world is called Lingxi, right?" Aotian asked curiously.
Rihai took her eyes off the flame and looked at Aotian.
She raised her delicate hand and placed her index finger on his nose, pushing it upward playfully.
Aotian rolled his eyes and stuck out his tongue to lick her hand, but she quickly pulled it away.
"What kind of dog are you? Why do you have to lick everything?" she asked, amused and teasing.
"The horny kind. Remember the promise?" he said, smiling mischievously at her.
"A-Aotian, not here! Not in a cave! Let's talk about the continents," she quickly placed her hand on his chest to stop him.
But Rihai genuinely agreed with what Aotian had said. He really was a horny dog — he thought about "that" every other sentence.
Seeing Rihai's expression and realizing she thought he was serious, Aotian sighed helplessly.
"Okay, okay, I was just joking, teasing you back. Do you really think that's all I think about?" he tried to explain, powerless.
But Rihai's face clearly said "I do."
Aotian felt a bit embarrassed.
"Alright, alright! Sorry. I'll try to hold back," he said, defeated.
This time it was Rihai who rolled her eyes upon hearing that.
"I'm pretty sure this must be the fifth or sixth time you've told me that, only to do the opposite right after. I'm starting to think you've confused the meaning of 'holding back,'" she said, with a hint of distrust and amusement.
Aotian pondered and recalled all the times he had failed.
'Yeah… I really do that a lot,' he thought, scratching his head, a little embarrassed.
"Pff!" Rihai couldn't help but laugh at his expression, finding it adorable.
Unable to resist, she leaned in and gave him a quick kiss on the lips.
Aotian was stunned by the sudden kiss and looked at her, confused.
"What was that reward for?" he asked with a playful smile.
"I just felt like it," she winked at him, mischievously.
Aotian raised his eyebrows, surprised.
"I think I feel like that all the time," he said, tilting his head in mock contemplation.
"I know you do," she replied in the same tone, amused.
Rihai placed one palm over the other on his chest and rested her chin on them, smiling softly, her bright, happy eyes fixed on him.
Aotian looked at her fondly, lifting a hand to gently tuck a lock of her hair behind her ear.
"You're so beautiful…" Aotian couldn't help but say, mesmerized by her lovely blue eyes.
Rihai began to blush with the mood forming, and embarrassed, she couldn't help but change the subject.
"You asked about the continents, right?…" she said softly.
But the moment the words left her mouth, she regretted breaking the mood.
Still, what's said is said.
Aotian remembered the question — which did spark his curiosity — and, though he regretted missing such a nice moment, he nodded.
"Well, this world really is called Língxī (Spiritual Dawn), and it's divided into nine continents. There's the central continent, the mid-continents that surround it, and finally, the four great deserts that surround the four mid-continents," she explained, her gaze distant as if recalling the past.
"I bet we're in one of the deserts, right?" Aotian asked helplessly.
It was the classic trope in reincarnation xianxia: being reborn in the worst possible place. And he figured he wouldn't escape that unwritten rule.
But Rihai shook her head.
"Of course not. We're in the central continent," she said seriously.
"Ehh?! Really?" Aotian asked, surprised and dumbfounded.
"No…" Rihai grinned mischievously at him.
Aotian froze and stared at her, powerless.
"Where did you learn to do that?" he asked, rolling his eyes.
"Of course, from you! And it's really fun!" she laughed even more at his expression.
"Okay, be serious now. Desert, right?" He pouted, not arguing.
Rihai reached out and pinched his pout, gently swaying it side to side.
"Desert!" she confirmed with a nod, enjoying the teasing.
Chomp!
"Ah!" Rihai squealed when Aotian pretended to bite her hand, which was in his mouth.
"Hahaha!" Aotian laughed at her startled reaction.
"Are you sure you're not a dog? You lick and now you bite too!" Rihai complained.
"I told you I was a horny dog!" Aotian replied, grabbing her butt.
Rihai, helpless, took his hand and moved it back to her waist.
"You also said you were going to try to hold back!" she scolded him, playful.
"I tried… and failed miserably," he shook his head, defeated.
Rihai couldn't resist — a smile crept onto her lips, and she quickly turned her face so he wouldn't see.
But of course… he had already seen it.
Smiling playfully at her, he returned to the questions he had about this world.
"So, have you ever heard of a large area where there are no spiritual veins?" he asked, looking at her with curiosity.
Rihai furrowed her brow, confused by the question, and met his gaze with equal uncertainty.
"An area without spiritual veins? Isn't the continent we're on filled with places like that? Including where we are now." She looked at him strangely.
"No, I'm talking about an area the size of a continent with not a single spiritual vein. Maybe it's a forbidden zone or something like that, but I'm not sure," Aotian said seriously, recalling the place where his avatar Bao Wuji couldn't detect a single vein.
Rihai thought carefully but ended up shaking her head.
"Well, if such a place existed, I'd probably know about it, but I've never heard of that," Rihai answered, shaking her head.
Aotian couldn't help but furrow his brows.
'Could it really be a place that blocks my perception? Or am I missing something?'
As he pondered these questions, he continued talking with her late into the night.
Until eventually, sleep overtook them, and he and Rihai fell into a deep slumber in each other's arms.
…
Two days had passed at the Infinite Dao Sect, and it was now the day of departure to explore the marked area.
In front of the sect, all the disciples were gathered — not a single one missing this great opportunity.
There were also several other cultivators hired to carry out tasks such as mining.
Shortly after, all the elders of the sect arrived.
Tian Zhu and the ancestor Bao were the last to appear.
"We greet the Sect Leader!" everyone shouted in unison as he arrived.
The sect leader nodded to them, then looked at Elder Zhao.
"Elder Zhao," he called indifferently.
"Leader, I am here!" Elder Zhao stepped forward and bowed respectfully.
"Mm." He gestured for Zhao to rise.
"Elder Zhao, the sect will be traveling, but we don't intend to leave the temporary base unguarded. Take this formation disc. The sect has upgraded the formations atop the mountain, and under your control, no harm should come to this place. All management of this base will be temporarily handed over to you. Do you accept?" he explained, and finally asked — although his tone didn't sound like a request, but rather an order.
"Yes, Sect Leader. I will not disappoint you!" Elder Zhao said firmly, respectfully receiving the formation disc handed to him by the leader.
Formation discs were essentially remote controls for an array. It was possible to construct a formation without a disc, but in that case, there would be no variable control unless the cultivator remained at the formation's core to operate it. That was far from ideal. Hence, the preference for the disc, which allowed remote connection and control of the core.
There were also discs with embedded formations, but this wasn't one of those.
After Elder Zhao's confirmation, Tian Zhu nodded and looked at all the disciples and others present.
"Very well. Everyone, board the ship. I declare this expedition officially underway."
