Chapter 1289: Rootless Duckweed
Li Qiye left the dragon mountains for the Bonesea. He wasn’t in a hurry, so he opened his portals randomly while crossing through the countries.
He stopped multiple times along the way to bask in the beautiful sceneries of the Dragon Demon Sea. After all, these majestic scenes were unique to Heaven Spirit.
He had heard about the immortal artifact coming out of the Bonesea and only smiled in response.
Seeing people anxiously running there didn’t affect his pace because he knew that the time was not ripe. Only when it was would he finally be able to reach his desired destination. Otherwise, it would all be in vain.
Because of this, he relaxed and took his time traveling across this beautiful sea region. However, he would occasionally become absent-minded in front of this beauty. While standing on a cliff and gazing at the vast sea, his mind seemed to drift away.
In those distant years, there was a period of time when he had a taste of the happiness of being an ordinary man. During an evening on this very cliff, there was someone who held hands with him while watching the sunset.
He continued to look at the sun slowly sinking into the sea in a stupor. After a long time, he withdrew his gaze and gave a carefree smile: “Yueli, I’ll let you know that someone named Li Qiye is back. I don’t mind even if you kill me. All debts must be repaid before I go to the final world.”
With that, he laughed with an open mind before coolly leaving. Sometimes he would fly or ride the waves.
Among the billowing clouds were a few mountains and old pavilions. This scene looked just like an immortal paradise. Among these hidden mountains were lush, ancient pines and gurgling streams.
In the pavilions were cultivators absorbing and releasing the elements as if they were immortals.
When standing in these clouds, one would often see other cultivators traveling. When they met, it was a time to be cheerful and enthusiastic. Honorifics were thrown and greetings were exchanged. They would explore the arts of the elements.
These scenes looked particularly beautiful, but the truth was far from this. Behind these dream-like images was an unimaginable cruelty.
These cultivators hiding in the clouds belonged to the human race. Moreover, their situation was one of helplessness.
In the Heaven Spirit World, continents were far and few between; most landmasses already had masters. Cultivators didn’t mind being in oceans. At a certain level, there was virtually no difference between land and water. However, humans were land creatures. More often than not, they weren't suited for the sea, unlike the sea tribes who had a love for the oceans and were born there.
Some human cultivators had no territory, so they had to stay in the sky and hide in the clouds. These mountains and pavilions weren’t personally refined by them but instead were left behind by their ancestors. Of course, the lucky ones could come across places without an owner.
The abandoned mountains and pavilions were often lineages that failed to be passed down. Their final generation must have died from old age. Thus, the structures could only float in the clouds across the vast firmament. The lucky ones could then claim these as their own.
When human cultivators reached a certain power level and didn’t have a landmass, they would dig out mud and soil from the ocean or move a mountain in order to refine them. This process would eventually turn into these artificial creations floating among the clouds in the sky.
The truth was that it wasn’t their choice. Who would want to drift endlessly in the sky if they had their own land?
For some people, this style of life was very interesting and fun at the start. However, as time passed, they would come to find that they were not the masters of their own destiny.
Given the choice between having a home and this, no one would want to be rootless duckweed. Moreover, it was dangerous to drift around like this. Once they met an enemy who was more powerful than themselves, they could be destroyed at any time.
This dreamy life was the result of a lack of choice. In this kind of rootless drifting, one wouldn’t have any way of establishing an ancestral ground, mining resources, or planting precious elixirs and plants.
Being poor was a fatal disadvantage for cultivators. A wealth of resources was crucial for cultivators and sects to grow stronger.
However, having an abundance of these resources relied on having one’s own territory in order to keep them safe. It was often meaningless to have too many resources while participating in this vagabond lifestyle. Having a pavilion in the air was simply a fool’s dream.
Li Qiye gently shook his head while looking at a few of the cultivators visiting and talking to each other among these mountains and pavilions in the middle of this sea of clouds.
In this helpless situation, these humans could only rely on each other for support. Otherwise, they would be easily washed away by the flood.
“This simply cannot be a place for humans to live.” This was Li Qiye’s only comment.
How many could be lucky enough to have their own landmass like the Exquisite Valley or Dongting Lake? Very few could enjoy being born into such a great background. To be able to join those sects was also a type of fortune.
Nevertheless, he didn’t feel too sad about it. In his eyes, everyone had their own path. Even a savior couldn’t save everyone.
He went on his way, riding the ocean waves without a care.
“Young Noble, where are you going? Do you want my company?” A pleasant voice rang with a hint of allurement that could stir the heart.
Li Qiye glanced over and saw Liu Ruyan standing on a boat. She was basking in the breeze with her slender figure like a willow leaf, making others truly get a sense for the fluttering wind.
She was riding a gigantic ship with the symbol of the Void Imperfection Three Schools on it. In Heaven Spirit, everyone would show some respect for this symbol.
Li Qiye smiled and got on the ship instead of refusing.
She showed warm hospitality by moving a table over before proceeding to light some sandalwood scents. Next, she boiled tea and personally handed it to him.
He didn’t seem to mind the gesture and casually lied down by the table, looking quite comfortable.
She smiled and handed him a teacup while saying: “Young Noble, my craft is not as good as my sister’s, please don’t laugh.”
Though her face was hidden behind a thin veil, each of her frowns and smiles exuded a special and comforting charm.
Gongsun Meiyu was also an enchanting person, but her charm was different. Meiyu had the mature allure of a married woman. Her charm relied on her beauty and her beauty relied on a sense of lust.
Meanwhile, Ruyan’s charm was much more refined. It seeped into the heart with a touch of elegance and youthfulness. Such a woman was to be adored by all men.
He accepted the tea and slowly took a sip while staring at her without saying anything.
“Young Noble, are you going to the Bonesea?” She showed a smile that would make hearts flutter: “I’m also going to the Bonesea, may I accompany you?”
He responded while faintly grinning: “You are well-informed.”
She frankly said: “Young Noble, you are a dragon among men, a supreme prodigy. Many eyes are on you regardless of the time or place as you’re just like a swan among a flock of chickens. Your location can easily be found by asking around a bit.”
“Little beauty, I don’t care what your plan is, but don’t provoke me or I might just avail myself of your charm.” Li Qiye was in a particularly good mood while looking at this attractive woman.
“Do you actually dare?” Ruyan responded with a teasing chuckle: “There’s no need for you to do so. If you want, I am more than willing to join you in bed. Of course, if you have some unusual tastes, I can also entertain you in that manner.”
Such words truly pulled on one’s heartstrings and made blood boil, especially when they came from someone as devilishly lovely as Liu Ruyan.
“Well said!” Li Qiye’s eyes widened as he suddenly pulled her closer in an overbearing manner. She couldn’t respond in time for he was too fast in taking her into his embrace.
“Pa! Pa! Pa!” A series of slaps resounded. Liu Ruyan cried out in surprise as Li Qiye slapped her sweet buttocks repeatedly.
He showed no sign of mercy for the fairer sex and used great force on her soft and pretty behind. She was definitely feeling a burning pain!