After a weary battle, Zhao Riyue ordered her group to have a quick meal to regain their strength.
Lu Qingyun had no issue with that since he was feeling hungry as well.
He watched as Zhao Riyue and Zhao Xingye started to take out a pot that had noodles in it from their spatial storage and started to add water into the pot.
All of a sudden, the pot was boiling and the fragrance scent of the boiled noodles reached Lu Qingyun's nostrils.
He was astonished, not from the delicious looking noodles but the fact that the pot of noodles was boiling the water and the noodles without any fire!
This was the holy grail of alchemy!
He quickly flew to them as he said excitingly, "Maiden Riyue, Maiden Xingye. This pot…"
Zhao Riyue was startled when she saw Lu Qingyun was now looking excitingly at the pot of noodles. "Senior, you are a golden celestial now. Surely not that you will actually be famished?"
Qian Jingjing laughed, "The noodles look so nice that even I'm hungry as well. But I've only my dry ration with me."
Lu Qingyun returned a soft chuckle, "Who says golden celestials can't eat. I'm always hungry. But…"
He smiled weakly as he did not know how to start his question before saying, "Did I see you only pouring water in this pot and it is boiling? Where is the fire and how did you do that? You can actually have fresh food as long as you have water. This is really too amazing. I have never seen anything like this before."
Then he added excitingly, "Can I know how this work?"
Zhao Riyue chuckled, "This is actually an invention by our Celestial Tang Xuefeng. She is the one that has invented this. But the secret lies in this pot. When water is added to this pot, there is a special coating that is being used by Celestial Tang Xuefeng to make the water boil. How it works, I actually have no idea."
Lu Qingyun smiled weakly, "Will she tells me?"
Zhao Riyue and Zhao Xingye were both laughing before Zhao Xingye chuckled, "She won't tell anyone because she once says that if this method is known to the others then it may do more bad than good."
Lu Qingyun looked a little disappointed and he was sighing softly. "I didn't know that Celestial Tang Xuefeng is such a genius alchemist…"
Zhao Riyue laughed softly, "I do not know if she is a genius alchemist but I do know that she is really good in cooking. She says that she has discovered this method when she is experimenting with her cooking."
Zhao Xingye was nodding, "In case senior did not know, she is really good in cooking soups and you will surely feel invigorate after taking her soup."
Qian Jingjing knew that Lu Qingyun had made Tang Xuefeng cry that day so she said weakly, "Unfortunately my Brother Qingyun will never have the chance to drink her soup."
Zhao Xingye nodded, "Celestial Tang is really busy. It is extremely difficult to get her to cook for anyone. I had only taken her soup only once and that was during the Heavenly Fragrance Princess' birthday banquet."
Lu Qingyun was laughing weakly. He did not dare to tell them that he had already taken Tang Xuefeng's soups. He was thinking, "No wonder it tastes so good."
But he decided to make a shameless request, "Although I am not hungry now but I may be hungry later. Do you think that I can have a pot to cook something later?"
Zhao Xingye and Zhao Riyue said at the same time, "Senior, you may have my pot!"
Then both sisters were looking at each other in astonishment before they averted their eyes shyly.
Zhao Riyue said quietly, "Senior, you may have my sister's pot."
Zhao Xingye was startled as she looked at her sister, "This won't do. Let sister gives her pot to him."
Lu Qingyun smiled weakly as he said shamelessly, "I can take two pots. Maybe Jingjing needs some food too."
Qian Jingjing: …
She knew that Lu Qingyun was not trying to get one of the pots for her but was for himself to study. She had been long enough with him to know that he was actually an alchemist.
Zhao Riyue and Zhao Xingye said at the same time, "Senior, you may have our pots."
Lu Qingyun laughed weakly, "In that case I won't decline. But will I get you into trouble for giving me such precious pots?"
Zhao Riyue smiled and said, "Don't worry. All the protégés of the Heavenly Fragrance Villa have one."
When Lu Qingyun had heard her, his jaws nearly fell to the ground. "How did Tang Xuefeng make so many of these pots?"
Zhao Riyue smiled weakly, "Actually senior, this pot can only be used three times altogether. So our pots can only be used one last time since we have already cooked it twice."
Lu Qingyun was stammering, "It can only be used one last time…"
What if his research had failed?
Actually Zhao Riyue and Zhao Xingye could tell that Lu Qingyun was more interested in the pots than the noodles. But they did not expose him.
Lu Qingyun was muttering, "It is alright then. One last time each, so be it then. Quick, give me the pots."
Zhao Xingye shy said, "Senior, can you please let us finish our food first?"
Lu Qingyun: …
Lu Qingyun laughed weakly, "Haha. I've forgotten…no hurry. Please take your time to finish your food."
But he was already looking impatiently and excitingly for them to finish their food.
Qian Jingjing secretly whispered to him, "I will suggest that you don't approach Celestial Tang Xuefeng to ask her anything. Just in case, you will make her cry again."
Lu Qingyun returned a sheepish look as he whispered back, "How do you know that I will ask Celestial Tang Xuefeng about it?"
"It is all written all over your face…" Qian Jingjing smiled weakly.
–
–
–
Soon Lu Qingyun was moving with Qian Jingjing, Zhao Riyue, Zhao Xingye and eleven other maidens as they ventured deeper inside the walled ruins.
"What is this place?" Lu Qingyun asked. "It seems to be endless even though we are all moving so hastily. I have never seen walls that are so many hundreds of miles long. This is really a big city. At this rate, we can never explore the place fully."
Zhao Riyue replied, "Yes, this place is bigger than we have expected as well. Rather than saying that we are exploring an ancient celestial ruin, it is more correct to say that we are exploring an entire domain."
Lu Qingyun nodded. "So do you have any interesting finds so far?"
Zhao Riyue smiled, "We have found precious metals. Mostly Celestiums and Heavenly Relics. Hopefully we will be able to forge a divine sword or two from the Heavenly Relics that we have found."
As they chatted, they soon passed through a crack in the mountains that led them to the other side.
When they had emerged from the mountain tunnel on the other side, the group was suddenly astonished by the sight of a gigantic citadel that was floating in the air, chained by dozens of massive metal chains that were rooted by the surrounding tall mountains.
Qian Jingjing was gasping in bewilderment, "This gigantic citadel can actually float in mid-air?!"
Lu Qingyun muttered, "This citadel is too massive. In order to float in this manner, there must be a massive artefact core that is supporting it and this artefact core can only be a Heavenly Relic artefact core."
Zhao Riyue said weakly, "This is such a waste of cultivation resources to melt the Heavenly Relic into an artefact core to support this massive citadel. More than a thousand divine swords may be able to be forged from this artefact core alone."
"We lack the cultivation strength to extract this artefact core. Moreover there is no way we can carry it too. It must be equally massive." Zhao Xingye pointed out.
"The real question is," Lu Qingyun said. "How do we get up to this gigantic citadel?"
Qian Jingjing asked, "Brother Qingyun, you want to explore this citadel? I got an ominous feeling about it. Maybe we can go elsewhere? There are still plenty of places to explore. We only have three hours left now."
Lu Qingyun was drawn to this citadel for an unknown reason. So he nodded, "I guess so. There may be profound treasures in this citadel. This citadel looks more intact than the ruins that we have seen."
Then he was looking at the massive chains with a grin, "We can take the chains up. So, who is with me?"
Everyone could feel that the winds here were extremely strong and it would take a mad man to want to climb the chains to reach the floating citadel.
Qian Jingjing, Zhao Riyue, Zhao Xingye and all the others: …
Zhao Riyue smiled weakly, "Senior, are you really sure about this?"
Lu Qingyun nodded, "I think that I will be able to do this alone. After all, I have the profound strength of a golden celestial now."
Then he turned to look at Qian Jingjing, Zhao Riyue and Zhao Xingye. "We are all here for our lucky occurrences. Don't wait me here. Look for your own opportunities. I will be fine, don't worry and I hope that you will all be fine. Alright?"
Lu Qingyun was right. Climbing the chains against the strong winds would indeed require a cultivator to have the profound strength of a golden celestial first or they would lose their grips easily.
With great reluctant, they were forced to nod.
"Help me to take care of Maiden Qian. Farewell." And Lu Qingyun was already speeding for the nearest chain.
Qian Jingjing was sighing softly…