Chapter Seventy-Three: The Cloud-Piercing Shuttle

The first bottle of pills Fang Keyin opened was the Barrier-Breaking Pill, the very one used to aid the Nascent Soul in breaking through the final obstacle before merging with the Void. It was precisely the absence of such a pill that had made him uncertain about advancing to the Divine Transformation stage. The Barrier-Breaking Pill was exceedingly rare in the cultivation world, and alchemists capable of crafting it were even fewer. Whenever it appeared at auction, it was always claimed by the top sects of the Xing Tian Continent, and every appearance of this pill would inevitably provoke bloody chaos.

What astonished Fang Keyin even more was that there were three pills inside the jade bottle. For someone who had struggled for so long to advance to the Divine Transformation stage, this was a cause for immense joy.

"This... this is the Barrier-Breaking Pill? Jun Huai, you truly delight your grandfather—you know exactly what I need most right now!" Overcome with excitement, Fang Keyin unconsciously changed his address to "grandfather."

Seeing her husband's extreme exhilaration, Liu Qingman understood the value of this treasure and looked at Liu Junhuai with even greater affection.

At the edge of the gathering, Bian Jizhong secretly curled his lips—this was only the beginning. His second brother was a top tycoon, and it was amusing to see someone of Fang Keyin's age so flabbergasted.

Mo Sitong covered her mouth to stifle her laughter; she hadn't seen her grandfather so lose his composure in ages, especially in front of guests. But seeing her beloved elder so happy, she was equally excited, and her gratitude toward Liu Junhuai deepened.

"Grandfather, you can't carry on like this. This is only the first pill. If there are even more precious treasures to come, will you lose your mind altogether?" Mo Sitong teased Fang Keyin.

Fang Keyin realized his own excess and felt a bit embarrassed, though his thick skin hid it well.

Faced with so many jade bottles and boxes, it would take time to open each one. Fang Keyin swept his divine sense over them—they were all precious items, but he decided to inspect them in detail after the guests had left.

Even so, when he glimpsed eighth and ninth tier demon cores in the jade boxes, he was visibly elated. His hands trembled slightly as he put the items away.

Liu Junhuai then placed two larger jade bottles on the table. "Grandfather, these are Spirit Qi Elixirs. Take a drop at the crucial moment of advancement for the best effect. Sitong and I have plenty, but since this is such an eye-catching item, I didn't bring too much. If you need more, just ask."

Fang Keyin carefully opened a bottle. The rich, liquid essence nearly overwhelmed his composure. This was beyond precious. He barely heard Liu Junhuai mention there was plenty more; all his attention was fixed on the bottle.

Just then, Mo Sitong's mother walked in. Seeing her father's dazed expression, she turned in surprise to her own mother.

Liu Qingman pointed to Liu Junhuai and said, "It's all your future son-in-law's doing. I doubt your father will sleep tonight."

Hearing her mother, the Palace Master was even more astonished. She stepped forward, and when she saw what Fang Keyin was holding, her mouth gaped wide and she cried out, utterly forgetting her usual dignified demeanor.

Bian Jizhong struggled to contain his laughter, his face turning red, while Mo Sitong laughed aloud with abandon, her grandmother joining in with a broad smile.

Liu Junhuai most enjoyed seeing his family's delighted expressions, feeling that making them happy was itself a form of happiness.

Mo Sitong ran forward to recount what had happened, and the Palace Master asked her father for the jade bottles and boxes he'd put away. Upon opening them, she was again dumbfounded.

Once the Fang family regained their composure, the Palace Master summarized the Fang Wenyu incident. Her account closely matched Liu Junhuai and Bian Jizhong's suspicions. The matter was settled—after all, they were family, and tearing each other apart would not benefit the Dustless Palace's development.

The Dustless Palace had already convened a meeting about the incident. It was decided to hold a banquet in Liu Junhuai's honor.

Though there had been much internal opposition, the astonishing combat prowess displayed by Liu Junhuai and Bian Jizhong during the incident had silenced those who had reservations about Sitong's marriage.

Moreover, the two men were fiercely unyielding and ruthless. Any conflict with them was a matter of life and death. Whether at the Golden Core or even Nascent Soul stage, so long as they lived, they would fight to the end.

If anyone learned Liu Junhuai's true age, they would be even more terrified.

Thus, amid a chorus of praise, Liu Junhuai and Bian Jizhong entered the banquet hall.

Nearly seventy percent of Dustless Palace disciples were women, owing to the fact that the founder was the only female cultivator from the western region of Xing Tian Continent to ascend to the Immortal Realm in thousands of years.

The participation of Elder Fang Keyin and his wife made it clear to more disciples that Liu Junhuai had been formally recognized by the Dustless Palace. Those who had tried to block his path now felt secretly relieved not to have persisted, for gaining such formidable enemies was not wise.

Led by Mo Sitong, Liu Junhuai and Bian Jizhong exchanged pleasantries with the elders and disciples. Bian Jizhong was repeatedly flirted with by charming glances from the crowd. Liu Junhuai noticed his elder brother didn't seem annoyed, and even responded particularly enthusiastically to the more attractive female cultivators.

The endless socializing finally came to a close. The banquet ended in a cheerful, friendly atmosphere, and Bian Jizhong, drunk from the attentions of several beautiful female cultivators, was carried back to his guest room by Liu Junhuai.

The next day, Mo Sitong, now nominally Liu Junhuai's wife, came to the guest room.

"Junhuai, Grandfather wants to see you again. Shall we go to him before we set off?" Her tone was unmistakably that of a newlywed.

Liu Junhuai replied, "Let's go, and bid farewell to your mother as well. We should hurry to leave—otherwise, my elder brother might lose his head, or do something he shouldn't. What do you think, big brother?"

Bian Jizhong laughed and scolded, "So now that you've got Sitong, you don't want me to find my own springtime? Sister-in-law, don't bring him here too often—in fact, last night he was telling me how many beautiful women there are in Dustless Palace."

Mo Sitong laughed. "I don't care about him. If he fancies someone, he can speak to my mother—she'll probably permit it."

The three bantered as they made their way to Fang Keyin's residence.

Upon seeing Liu Junhuai, Fang Keyin said, "This time, when you return with Jizhong to the Bian family, try to bring his grandfather as well. There are some cultivation matters I wish to discuss with him. Don’t forget to tell him I’ve saved a Barrier-Breaking Pill for him."

Liu Junhuai glanced at Bian Jizhong, who replied, "Don’t worry, there’s nothing in the Bian family that would keep him from coming. My second brother is a master at persuasion, and with him stoking the fire, it shouldn’t be a problem."

Just then, the Palace Master and her mother entered. Liu Qingman took Liu Junhuai's hand, saying, "Child, it ought to be elders who give gifts to the young, but instead we have received so many from you. This is a gift from your grandfather and grandmother—it's called the Cloud-Piercing Shuttle, one of the treasures left by Dustless Palace ancestors. Because it consumes a great deal of spirit stones, it’s rarely used now. Sitong said you never lack spirit stones, so it’s better to give it to you, so it can be put to good use."

Liu Junhuai was overjoyed. The Cloud-Piercing Shuttle was a fine thing—once spirit stones were embedded, it could be flown without expending one’s own energy, and such ship-like shuttles were exceedingly rare in the cultivation world, only occasionally seen at auctions, and were priceless treasures.

"Thank you, Grandfather and Grandmother. Junhuai has been searching for such a flying vessel to no avail, and now my wish is fulfilled," Liu Junhuai said gratefully.

The Palace Master said, "From now on, Sitong will cultivate with you. Don't let romance distract you from your studies, and remember to come back often to see your grandparents. Outside, danger lurks everywhere—wisdom must guide your actions. Never act recklessly for the sake of pride. Protecting your family is the foremost duty of a cultivator."

Liu Junhuai hurried to reply, "Aunt’s advice is wise. Junhuai will always put family first, act with humility, strive to be a good person, and cultivate diligently."

The Palace Master laughed, "Alright, alright, you sound like you're reciting a mantra, not a shred of sincerity. Sitong, did you remember your mother's words? Focus your heart mainly on cultivation."

Mo Sitong smiled, "I understand, Mother. But Junhuai is not yet fifteen—he still has a few years before adulthood."

"What?" All three were astonished. This was truly a prodigy. Not yet fifteen—when they were his age, what were they doing? Even the core talents of the sect were only at seventh or eighth stage of Qi Refinement.

Mo Sitong’s words were like a stone cast into calm waters, stunning Fang Keyin and the others, far beyond their comprehension.

Fortunately, this prodigious youth had been claimed by their own child, and Dustless Palace had established a good relationship with him before any other sect. This would greatly benefit both the sect and their granddaughter in the future.

Bian Jizhong was inwardly frustrated; he had once been considered a genius in Shangyu City, but compared to Liu Junhuai, he was nothing. He even wondered if becoming sworn brothers with Junhuai had been wise, as it had subjected him to countless blows.

Leaving Dustless Palace, Liu Junhuai happily fiddled with the Cloud-Piercing Shuttle. From now on, he needn’t expend energy to shelter from the elements, and with the shuttle’s astonishing speed, he eagerly looked forward to competing with Ah Jiu in flight.