Over the following days, Yan Dan worked on crafting a Flying Sword for Lu Yu while engaging in heartfelt conversations, their bond growing deeper.
One morning, just like every day, Lu Yu sat cross-legged in the dilapidated temple, enhancing the Spiritual Nature of the Flying Sword with the Contemplation Technique taught by Yan Dan.
"Brother Lu, let's part ways today," said Yan Dan, looking at Lu Yu who had just finished his Contemplation Technique.
In fact, Lu Yu had also guessed that in the following days, Yan Dan would likely return to his sect; from then on, they would be as distant as Immortals, with future meetings becoming difficult to come by.
Yan Dan was the first friend Lu Yu had made after the fusion of his soul, and now that they were parting, Lu Yu felt a pang in his heart, but he knew that all gatherings must come to an end eventually.
"I've greatly enjoyed our talks over these few days. Since we are parting today, Brother, I don't have much to offer, but I wish Big Brother Yan a long life and success in your cultivation," Lu Yu said dejectedly.
"Then I also wish Brother Lu success in all you aspire to and a smooth journey through life. If one day you enter an Immortal Sect, come find me at Mount Shu!" Yan Dan, being a carefree soul by nature who disliked goodbyes, shot eastward as a rainbow light as soon as he finished speaking.
Lu Yu looked in the direction of Yan Dan's departure and couldn't help but sigh, "Mount Shu. I wonder if it's the same one from the books or just a coincidence. What kind of world have I really crossed into?"
At this thought, Lu Yu felt depressed. With such low status, he was like a frog at the bottom of a well, only able to see a small patch of sky and entirely incapable of understanding the world he was in.
For someone accustomed to the information explosion of the modern world, this was truly unfriendly.
"Forget it, at least I've learned the technique from Brother Yan, and now I possess a means for self-protection in this world of demons and ghosts!" He looked closely at the Flying Sword in his hand.
The emerald green sword body, with its wooden texture, gave it a unique beauty, and a faint green glow shimmered on its surface.
As Lu Yu admired the small Flying Sword, the more he looked at it, the more he liked it. Through several days of Contemplation, he could clearly feel a faint consciousness emerging on the Flying Sword.
Moreover, he had come to understand the wondrous nature of this Flying Sword: highly sensitive to demonic essence, it could detect hidden demons and ghosts. This single advantage was enough to make Lu Yu ecstatic. Demons were masters of disguise, impossible to guard against, but with the Flying Sword's alert, he could sleep in peace.
Besides, the Flying Sword was crafted from the essence of an Ent, nourishing the body and enhancing his strength. Carrying it for a long time could fortify his health and keep illnesses at bay.
The last characteristic, common to all Flying Swords and most praised among Sword Immortals, was its unmatched prowess in battle.
The rising sun cast a blanket of light, tenderly caressing all life on earth. After a night's rest, every creature began its daily routine anew. Under the golden sunshine, Lu Yu lifted his head and looked toward the faint outlines of a distant city, murmuring to himself, "New world, here I come!"
Wan City, located in the southeast of the Chen Kingdom, is blessed with a mild climate perfect for rice cultivation.
On this day, Wan City's sky was clear, and a gentle breeze whisked away small dust clouds across the ancient city's surfaces.
The harmonious scene consisted of gray tiles and green stone slabs on the roads, with a Scholar caught up in the surroundings.
He wore a faded gray robe and carried a dark red wooden bookcase on his back. The worn red patina revealed its age. It was Lu Yu who had walked out from the old temple!
Full of interest, the Scholar was observing everything around him. As a person who had traveled through time, even with the soul of this world's Lu Yu integrated within him, the memories of other cities could not compare to the reality before his eyes.
Listening to the various hawking voices around him, Lu Yu couldn't help but reflect that the lives of the ancients weren't as bleak as he had imagined.
Before long, Lu Yu arrived in front of an inn. It wasn't particularly luxurious, but the signboard that read "Tongfu Inn" caught his eye!
However, to his disappointment, it was just an ordinary inn, no different from any other in this world.
Inside, there was neither the so-called Thief Saint nor a charming landlady, just an ordinary-looking waiter, earnestly soliciting customers!
"Guest, are you stopping for a meal or staying the night?" The waiter, with a coarse cloth draped over his shoulder, asked the refined-looking Scholar standing before him.
Lu Yu had wanted to act as generously as the heroes from the stories, requesting the best room, a jar of fine wine, and a few dishes. However, feeling the thin wallet in his embrace, he had no choice but to swallow those words back down.
"Just an ordinary room will do!" Lu Yu said, a bit disheartened.
Seeing Lu Yu's expression, the experienced waiter could tell that this Scholar wasn't wealthy, yet he still led Lu Yu enthusiastically into the inn, calling out "One ordinary room!" with a tone that carried a unique charm as they walked.
Inside the inn was a small courtyard, surrounded by a two-story building where the guest rooms were situated. In the center of the courtyard was a pen provided for guests who came on horseback or with livestock.
Within the pen, there weren't many horses—just two—but several small lambs caught Lu Yu's attention!
"Where did these lambs come from? They are so adorable; this is my first time seeing such creatures!"
"Not just you, guest, even I have never seen them before! It's quite strange, actually. A Taoist Priest brought these lambs, but no one knows where they came from or where they are going!"
As Lu Yu listened to the waiter's words, the Flying Sword in his embrace trembled slightly; he was well aware that these lambs likely had something to do with Evil Techniques!
"These lambs look quite thirsty, haven't you given them any water?"
"The Taoist Priest instructed that his animals did not require feeding, so we didn't bother!" the waiter said hesitantly, feeling a slight pang of guilt, as if his service hadn't been diligent enough.
"I find these lambs so cute," said Lu Yu, "How about I give them some water? If the Taoist Priest blames anyone, I'll take full responsibility and ensure you, brother, won't have any trouble!" Although he couldn't grasp the Taoist Priest's intentions, Lu Yu, warned by the Flying Sword, wouldn't simply comply with the other's wishes.
Under the waiter's anxious gaze, Lu Yu drew some water from the well in the center of the courtyard and slowly fed it to the lambs.
What happened next was horrifying: the plump white lambs turned into chubby three-year-old children the moment they drank the water!
Their chubby cheeks were marred by exhaustion; they didn't even have the strength to cry before collapsing to the ground, unconscious.
The waiter hurriedly held the child in his arms, completely overwhelmed and unsure of what to do.
However, Lu Yu didn't hesitate. He took the water from the bucket and fed each of the remaining lambs. In no time, they all transformed into children. The eldest looked about five or six, the youngest not even two, all of them appearing so forlorn and pitiful it was heart-wrenching to see.
"That Taoist is a Demon, kidnapping so many children... who knows which helpless souls this heartless wretch has snatched away!" The commotion had already alerted the other guests in the inn. Upon witnessing this appalling scene, everyone became indignant.
No matter the era, people despise traffickers. In just a short while, some were calling for a government officer, while others were rallying the crowd to confront the Demon.
The situation quickly grew chaotic. Someone shouted that they saw the Demon approaching, and like a rock thrown into a pond, the waves of anger swelled. The enraged crowd surged forward, ready to teach this inhuman creature a lesson.
Lu Yu did not join in the mob's quest to punish the Taoist. Considering that the Taoist dared to commit such acts, he must have had some tricks up his sleeve, so it was a bit risky to go forward recklessly.
It wasn't long before the government officers were aroused. The street instantly became a noisy mess with onlookers, people chasing the Demon, and others taking advantage of the chaos.
No one knew how much time had passed before the commotion subsided. The crowd looked around only to find that the Demon had long since disappeared.