Chapter 3050 - The Lost White Robe

It was true. The sect had strict rules that disciples had to uphold when traveling outside the sect. One of these rules was that when outer sect disciples boarded the Dragonbone Worldships, they couldn’t pick quarrels or demand special treatment in the sect’s name. They weren’t allowed to use their position to gain access to the private pavilions.

If they did, the sect would not reimburse their expenses.

But this rule was about wasting the sect’s resources; there was no rule against staying in premium accommodations as long as they paid their own way.

“We can only stay here, but Yun Rong, someone yet to even formally become an outer sect disciple, is living in luxury. It’s truly... unseemly!” someone said gravely.

Yun Liu’s beautiful eyes turned to the man in teal. She said pitifully, “Senior Apprentice Brother Yue, A’Rong might just be ignorant of the rules. Besides, she’s working as a guide; their accommodations aren’t up to her.”

The man in teal laughed. “But she’s made you angry, and that won’t do!”

The others instantly understood. Senior Apprentice Brother is really just trying to vent on Yun Liu’s behalf!

Yun Liu blinked, and the rims of her eyes reddened; she looked deeply moved. “Senior Apprentice Brother Yue, I actually...”

“No need to say anymore,” the man in teal said with a smile. “I know when to stop. Moreover, I’m about to go visit a friend in another private pavilion. He’s the young master of this Dragonbone Worldship, as well as the eldest disciple of the leader of the Divine Firmament Sword Sect. One word from him, and I can teach Yun Rong and her client a lesson!”

With that, he turned to leave the room. The others hurriedly rose to see him off.

The man in teal was called Yue Qiu. Although he was just an outer sect disciple, he had an illustrious status. The grand elder of Crimson Kite Daoist Court’s outer sect was his biological uncle!

Even inner-sect and core disciples treated Yue Qiu with respect.

People said that if Yue Qiu weren’t so new to the sect, his background and talent were more than enough to make him a core disciple!

“Divine Firmament Sword Sect is the Southern Darkness Continent’s greatest Heavenly Monarch faction, yet you’re acquainted with its leader’s eldest disciple. It’s truly impressive!” someone said enviously.

Someone else teased, “I’m actually more envious of Junior Apprentice Sister Yun. With Senior Apprentice Brother Yue looking out for her so attentively, she’s sure to soar to prominence within the sect. None can slow her ascent!”

Several others congratulated Yun Liu, who feigned modesty. In truth, she was absolutely delighted.

Yue Qiu was her pillar of support. It was because of their relationship that she’d manage to impede Yun Rong’s efforts to become an outer sect disciple.

Yun Rong, oh, Yun Rong. No matter how you feel about it, there’s no way I’ll give you any chance to turn things around! Yun Liu laughed coldly to herself. She and Yun Rong were from the same clan, but they’d been enemies from a young age.

...

Meanwhile, in one of the premium pavilions.

“Mister Wen, don’t tell me you suspect a problem with the passenger in the ninth pavilion?” exclaimed Luo Yun’an.

He was dressed in gold, upright and dignified. This was the eldest disciple of the leader of the Divine Firmament Sword Sect. He was also a Grasping the Profound Stage Heavenly Monarch, and he was famous throughout the Southern Darkness Continent.

Moreover, this Dragonbone Worldship belonged to the Luo Family. Naturally, that made him its young master.

“It’s just a hunch,” said the scholarly middle-aged man seated behind him. He was dressed in gray, with ordinary features, and he sipped from a cup of tea.

As unassuming as he looked, Luo Yun’an dared not underestimate the mysterious Mister Wen.

On this trip to the Southern Sea, his master explicitly told him to treat Mister Wen with the utmost respect, no matter what. He even said that if he was even the slightest bit negligent, he’d never forgive him!

How could Luo Yun’an possibly treat Mister Wen with disrespect in light of that?

And during their previous conversation, Mister Wen suddenly commented that he was suspicious of the identity of the passenger in the ninth pavilion.

Luo Yun’an naturally took this seriously!

“Mister Wen, I’ve already sent someone to investigate. The man in the ninth pavilion calls himself Mo Hanyi, but his origins are unclear,” Luo Yun’an said hurriedly. “All we know for sure is that he acquired the right to stay in the ninth pavilion at an auction in Spirit Grain City. He spent twenty Destiny Jades for the privilege, an astronomical sum.”

Luo Yun’an paused, then continued, “As for the girl traveling with him? There’s actually nothing special about her. Her name is Yun Rong, and she’s a guide eking out a living in Spirit Grain City. They say she has just one test left to pass before officially becoming a Crimson Kite Daoist Court outer sect disciple.”

Here, he offered, “If you’re still concerned, I can send people to investigate further!”

Mister Wen shook his head. “No, that won’t do; it’d only alert him. We don’t want him to target you.”

Luo Yun’an frowned. “Then what do we do...?”

It was then that an attendant delivered a report from outside the room. Yue Qiu, an outer sect disciple of Crimson Kite Daoist Court, had come calling.

Luo Yun’an didn’t even pause to think. He was just about to tell the attendant to turn him away when Mister Wen said, “Crimson Kite Daoist Court? What a coincidence. Might this be our opportunity?”

Luo Yun’an blinked in surprise before realizing what Mister Wen was getting at. He smiled, then commanded, “Quick, bring Yue Qiu here to see us!”

......

The Dragonbone Worldship was enormous, with a dedicated shopping street packed with stores. It was quite lively, too. The vendors sold specialty products from all over the world. Most weren’t particularly precious, but they were rare.

Yun Rong was wandering the streets, buying all manner of rare and precious items, a glittering heap of delicacies, clothing, and other goods.

A single Destiny Jade was enough to buy a whole awful lot.

Yun Rong had always lived in relative poverty. She spent all of her meager earnings on her cultivation, but it was never enough.

But today, she was spending money with reckless abandon. It was quite the novel experience.

Still, she wasn’t wasteful or reckless. Whenever she took a fancy to something, she’d look around and compare sellers, then haggle for a better price.

Even after all that shopping, Yun Rong had only spent about half the Destiny Jade.

But Yun Rong didn’t plan to keep the change for herself. Instead, she planned to send it, then deliver everything she’d picked out to Senior Mo. She planned to keep nothing for herself.

It was important to count one’s blessings; she didn’t want to ruin a good thing by getting greedy.

In the path of cultivation, you had to stay true to your nature. Even when you encountered someone wealthy, you couldn’t let greed muddle your rationality.

Yun Rong knew she’d done little for Su Yi. Her conscience wouldn’t let her accept the remainder of the Destiny Jade he’d given her.

Better to spend it all, acquire all manner of rare goods, and deliver them to that senior. She was sincerely happy to do so, too.

She’d just selected a snow-white robe for Su Yi. It was woven out of Illusory Icesilk, and it was the work of a famous craftsman of the Spiritmist Race.

The robe had all manner of wondrous applications. It was resistant to dust, wind, and flame. It could also soothe the heart and calm the spirit.

It was just extraordinarily expensive; the seller was asking for a full three thousand pieces of Eternal Essence Gold.

Yun Rong originally planned to give up on it, but when she pictured that senior wearing it, she hesitated. I’m sure it would look extraordinary on him.

In the end, she haggled down to 2,600 hundred pieces, then bought the Illusory Icesilk Robe.

I’m sure he’ll like it, thought Yun Rong, examining it with delight. The more she looked at it, the more she liked it.

But it was then that someone snatched it out of her hands, tossed it to the floor, and stomped on it.

It happened so suddenly that Yun Rong was caught completely off guard.

“Yun Rong, you’re coming with us!” Two outer sect disciples of Crimson Kite Daoist Court appeared out of nowhere in front of her, coldly blocking her path.

One of them, a dark-skinned, powerfully built young man, was the one who’d seized the robe. He was glaring coldly at her.

His name was Peng Shanqi, and as he spoke, he seized her by the arm and dragged her out of the store.

“What are you doing? Let go of me!” Yun Rong struggled free, then picked the robe off the ground. When she saw the dark footprint on the white fabric, her heart ached.

Whap!

A clean, crisp slap to the face sent both her and the robe rolling across the ground. Her cheek was red and swollen, and blood dripped from the corners of her lips.

Peng Shanqi glared coldly at her. “I gave you face, but you refused it. If you dare struggle any further, don’t blame me for my poor manners!”

He then seized her by the hair and dragged her out of the store.

It hurt so badly that Yun Rong wept even as she struggled with all her might. She cried out, “What are you doing? I’m a disciple of Crimson Kite Daoist Court, too! You’re attacking your sectmate! Can you bear the consequences of that?”

“Feh!” Peng Shanqi spat disdainfully. “You aren’t even officially a disciple yet. Are you worthy of calling yourself our sectmate?”

The other outer sect disciple, Mu Lu, said, “Senior Apprentice Brother Peng, there’s no point in arguing with someone like her. We’d best hurry up and bring her back to see Senior Apprentice Brother Yue. He’s expecting us, and we can’t afford to mess up.”

Peng Shanqi was instantly solemn, and he dared not be negligent. He directly sealed Yun Rong’s mouth and cultivation base, preventing her from shouting, speaking, or struggling.

She was overcome with terror and panic. What’s going on here?

Meanwhile, Peng Shanqi dragged her off by the hair.

Many others noticed, but no one asked any questions, and no one was willing to get involved. Many of the more perceptive among them noticed that the Luo Family experts watching over the Dragonbone Worldship were overlooking this. Who could have failed to realize the implications?

All Yun Rong felt was despair. Her gaze was hollow and bleak. She didn’t understand why this was happening.

From the perspective of the passersby, this was but a little interlude. It’d be over in a flash. None of them were overly concerned.

The snow-white Illusory Icesilk Robe lay on the ground outside the shop. It was now wrinkled, dusty, and covered in footprints, as well as a striking red stain. It had been left there when blood dripped from the corners of Yun Rong’s mouth.

The shopkeeper picked the white robe off the ground and was about to put it away when a large hand stopped him. “That robe is no longer yours.”

This was Mu Lu, one of the outer sect disciples accompanying Mu Lu. He’d come back to take the robe with a smile on his face.

Mu Lu’s gaze was heated. This was a robe worth thousands of pieces of Eternal Essence Gold. To an outer sect disciple like him, this was an extraordinarily luxurious treasure!