AZI Volume 5 Chapter 18

"…"

Stepping into the Mirrored Moon Café with Tian Cheng, Long Hua immediately sees the Owner behind the counter.

Noticing Long Hua, the Owner raises an eye.

As it is in the late afternoon, the café has a few customers seated around the place.

But despite it being somewhat busy, neither Zhou'er nor Yao Ying were present—most likely sent out to do some shopping.

Upon Long Hua coming up to the counter, and taking a seat, the Owner whispers—

"Need something?"

"I need a few boat engines."

If he wasn't labeled as a Sinner, Long Hua wouldn't have to be concerned about buying items of this nature off the market in bulk.

Adding onto the issue of needing these items in a hurry, his only option was to ask the Owner, who could be described to be a magician when it comes to getting things done—even if the equipment that is requested of is a bit on the unreasonable side of things.

"For your next excavation?"

"Indeed. How much would it take for you to get the items?"

"Hmm."

Thinking for a bit, the Owner replies—

"How about three random loots from the ruins?"

Chuckling subtly, Long Hua asks—

"You're that certain that I'd be able to make it back alive?"

With a tone that seems to be talking about something that couldn't be more obvious, the Owner asks back—

"Why wouldn't you?"

"Oh?"

A smile of amusement appears on Long Hua's face, as he rests his chin against the back of his hand, and asks—

"How are you so certain?"

"Working as the owner of this café, I've come across plenty of people from grumpy old geezers to Sinners who had been to the frontlines."

Purposefully saying this at a loud volume, the nearby customers all looked at the Owner with an odd expression on their faces.

"In any case…"

Leaning forward, the Owner whispers—

"None of them are quite like you."

As the Owner moves back, Long Hua shrugs his shoulders with a sigh, while the former adds—

"I guess, you can say, it's also because I have faith in your skills?"

"I see."

Reaching down into the counter, the Owner pulls up a box filled with cherry blossom wine, and says—

"As promised."

"Thanks."

Storing all the wine away, Long Hua gets out of his seat, and heads for the door.

"Leaving already?"

Reaching the door with Tian Cheng beside him, Long Hua replies—

"Don't see any point to linger. You got customers to attend to, don't you?"

"I suppose?"

...…

Returning to the yacht, and sitting down on the bed in lotus posture, Long Hua takes out a jade slip.

Inscribed onto the jade slip is none other than the Yun family's Cloud Ink Incantation.

During his free time, Long Hua had been making attempts to modify this cultivation method, which is more of a support cultivation method than a core cultivation method—like the Heaven Creation Mantra.

(Hmm. Females are better suited to cultivating the Yin portion, while males are more suited to cultivating the Yang portion, but…)

As far as Long Hua is aware of, his original self should be a genderless existence. In that case—

(I should be able to cultivate both.)

Rotating the Tranquil Heart Incantation, Long Hua places the jade slip down, and closes his eyes.

(Beginning with the Martial Emperor's Step… Emperor, mortal realm's greatest authority.)

Muttering the incantation needed for this divine art, golden light—akin to flames, emanate from Long Hua's body.

(Cloud Ink Incantation… No, after my modifications—it should be called the Yin and Yang Cloud Ink Incantation. World's Yin and Yang in perfect resonance.)

Rotating the modified incantation, the golden light gradually turns black and white—Yin and Yang energy.

"…"

With her vessel seated at the bed's edge, the Tai Xuan Emperor inwardly shakes her head, while thinking—

(Truly an abnormal existence… Uh?)

As the two forces of energy lean more towards Yin—black, Long Hua's appearance begins to shift towards a more feminine form.

(D-Did my eyes go bad? No, that's impossible…)

Before the transformation completes itself, the two forces of energy are quickly rebalanced, and as Long Hua continues to maintain this balance, time passes gradually.

...…

"Ai…"

Raising a sigh, Qing Ming Yang—who is dressed in black robes, glances at Xia Ri'er with a hint of fatigue on his face.

Currently, they are standing around at the edge of a cliff, and below them is a village that is completely unaware of their existence.

"…"

Looking back at Qing Ming Yang with a similar expression, Xia Ri'er, who is wearing a set of purple robes over a white layer, asks—

"We're done with the inner domain, right?"

"Indeed, our next stop is the outer domain."

Saying this, Qing Ming Yang looks towards the third person who is with them.

Glancing back at Qing Ming Yang and Xia Ri'er, the person says—

"Let's go then."

The third individual—who had accompanied them into the Leng Bing Realm, is a young man with dark blue hair and dark eyes. Appearance wise, the young man's attire consists of dark blue robes over a white layer with a light purple sash.

"…"

Looking at the young man's back, Xia Ri'er can't help but frown.

The name of this young man is Lín Yǔ Héng, a member of the Lin family bloodline branch.

Within the Ling Yuan family, this bloodline branch holds a unique position—for their loyalty is reserved solely for the Ling Yuan Ancestor himself. As such, they do not get into the family's political affairs, and maintain a neutral stance throughout most matters.

"Why did you pick surnamed Lin of all people?"

Towards Xia Ri'er's question, Qing Ming Yang shrugs his shoulders, and replies—

"My elder brother doesn't have time, and surnamed Lin's combat capabilities is one of the highest in the family's Core Formation realm talents. Ai, let's not waste any more time. The sooner we get the family's matters dealt with, the sooner we can look for a certain you-know- who."

"…Very well."