Chapter Thirty-Nine: Are We to Travel Together?

After completing the transaction, Li Xingyu did not linger but left the Gate of Myriad Arts directly. At that moment, he was unaware that some of the techniques and theories he had left behind were, under the diligent research of Master Lu, laying a solid foundation for the Gate’s future technological development. Moreover, the concepts of exchange and communication he had introduced profoundly influenced the Gate, eventually transforming it into one of the most open and communicative research organizations on the planet. By then, the Gate of Myriad Arts would have undergone reform; part of its members continued to establish themselves in the martial world through the practice of martial arts, while another faction, centered around the original Artifact Pavilion, not only devoted themselves to developing various technologies but also engaged widely in exchanges and collaborations with other organizations and individuals across the empire and even the entire world, applying these technologies to social production and daily life.

This reform gradually made the Gate of Myriad Arts the strongest sect in the martial world and one of the most influential forces in society. Of course, later generations would mostly attribute its rise to this reform, while few would recognize that its prosperity was truly sparked by Li Xingyu’s appearance and influence. As the Gate flourished, its philosophy of exchange and communication became accepted by the masses, laying a strong foundation for the eventual rise of technological civilization on the planet Naster.

Meanwhile, Li Xingyu, walking down the mountain path from Mount Myriad Arts, could not possibly foresee these changes or the impact his presence would have on technological development on Naster. He was preoccupied with the information recorded in the jade slip he had acquired. He considered finding a place to study the slip, but as he was not yet familiar with the language and script of the cultivators, any results he obtained would not be immediately usable. Although he now possessed cultivation methods for the later stages—from the Condensation phase to the Foundation Establishment stage—his current level remained at the peak of the Qi Refining phase, and advancing would require breaking through this bottleneck. He had tried before, but found it difficult to break through, likely because his foundation was not yet solid enough. Thus, it was not the time for closed-door cultivation.

Suddenly, he realized he had no idea what to do next. This realization left him standing at the foot of Mount Myriad Arts, lost and unsure of where to go.

At that moment, a group of five descended from the mountain: four men and one woman. The four men were led by a middle-aged man just past forty, followed by three robust young men, each exuding a powerful aura that marked them as martial experts of considerable cultivation. The middle-aged man, in particular, had reached a state where his internal energy was no longer rampant within his body but was gathering in his dantian, signifying that he stood at the peak of the acquired stage, slowly moving towards a breakthrough into the innate stage. The three young men were also formidable, clearly seasoned fighters.

From a distance, the woman seemed familiar to Li Xingyu, and as she approached, he recognized her as Chen Jingrou. Her appearance surprised him slightly. Although he knew her father had sent people to pick her up, she had not left, and he had assumed that, after their shared ordeal, she had developed feelings for Qin Xiaotian and stayed out of reluctance to leave. Seeing her now, hurried and without Qin Xiaotian by her side, he wondered if his earlier guess was mistaken.

In truth, Li Xingyu’s guess was only half correct. Indeed, after Qin Xiaotian’s heroic rescue, she felt some affection for him and was no longer so resistant, which partly explained her decision to remain at the Gate. But another reason, one Li Xingyu had not considered, was her growing curiosity about him after their time together. It was hardly surprising: Li Xingyu, so young and yet so accomplished in cultivation, tall and upright, and though his looks were ordinary, his bright and spirited eyes lent him an appealing charm. For a young woman, it was natural to be attracted. Thus, Chen Jingrou had stayed with the intention of following Li Xingyu when he left, hoping to learn more about him. But since he had not told her his plans or departure time, she missed the chance to leave with him, and hurriedly chased after him with her senior brother and disciples. Qin Xiaotian, on the other hand, remained on the mountain because his relationship with her had improved, and his master had promised that in due time, he would personally accompany him to the Gate of Freedom to formally propose marriage.

When Chen Jingrou saw Li Xingyu standing at the foot of the mountain, her face visibly brightened. She quickly approached him. “Brother Li, how could you leave without telling me? I had to rush here as soon as I learned you had just left.” She began complaining immediately.

Li Xingyu looked at Chen Jingrou, whose chest heaved as she caught her breath from chasing after him, causing her full bosom to tremble with each breath and her face to flush with exertion. He could not recall ever making such a promise to her, so he asked, “Miss Chen, did I ever say or promise to notify you or call for you when I left? I don’t remember such a thing.” Though Chen Jingrou persistently called him Brother Li, he continued to address her as Miss Chen.

Hearing his words, Chen Jingrou, who had intended to lose her temper, suddenly remembered that Li Xingyu was not someone to be coerced. She quickly changed to a pitiful tone. “Brother Li, that’s not fair. You brought me up the mountain, so naturally you should take me down as well. Aren’t you worried that if you leave me alone, I might be in danger? I’m just a girl, and I’d be scared.”

Seeing the usually headstrong Chen Jingrou now acting not only spoiled but also pitiful and aggrieved, Li Xingyu could only shake his head in resignation. Were these two skills innate to all girls? Did she really think the four people with her could not protect her?

“Sir Li, my junior sister is still young and ignorant, and prone to mischief. Please do not take offense. Junior sister, Sir Li surely has matters to attend to and cannot travel with us. Stop making trouble and let’s hurry on, Master is still waiting for us,” her senior brother interjected. Knowing Li Xingyu’s true strength, he feared his junior’s capriciousness might provoke a formidable enemy. After apologizing to Li Xingyu, he tried to invoke their master’s authority to urge Chen Jingrou to stop pestering him and hasten their journey.

He had clearly underestimated his junior sister’s boldness. Perhaps within the sect she would fear her father, but outside, invoking him was pointless. “Senior brother, you don’t know how dangerous it was for me the last time I went alone. Luckily, Brother Li is highly skilled, so nothing happened. But since those people failed once, they’re likely to try again. With your cultivation, can you really protect me? If Brother Li travels with us, we won’t have to worry. Brother Li, please agree—I know you have no other business,” she said, disregarding her senior brother’s feelings entirely in her eagerness to travel with Li Xingyu, revealing her notorious unruliness within the sect.

Her senior brother was so frustrated by her words that he was speechless, yet helpless to stop her. Li Xingyu, seeing her switch from pitiful to flattering him by belittling her senior brother, began to consider the matter. He sensed that Chen Jingrou harbored no malice, nor any genuine romantic interest in him, but rather the innocent curiosity of a young woman just entering the martial world. So he started weighing whether or not to travel with them.

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