Chapter 154: Chapter 154: You Can’t Afford to Lose
At the mention of Bai Sheng’s name, Lu Sangjiu couldn’t help but clench her fists. She already had a feeling she knew what he was going to say.
Sure enough, Xie Ningyuan continued, "Back then, Bai Sheng was merely friends with the Demon Cultivator Gu Huang, and for that, she was condemned by all and cast out by her sect."
"She made the decisive choice to betray her sect, but she could never truly let go of her attachments to it. In the end, that was what allowed others to plot against her, and it cost her her life."
"If that’s what happens to mere friends, then... what do you think would happen to a dao companion?"
A wave of sadness washed over Lu Sangjiu... It wasn’t because she understood she could never be with Gu Jue, or that she couldn’t be dao companions with anyone at all.
She was simply mourning the prejudice of this world, the sheer injustice of it all.
She couldn’t help but look at Xie Ningyuan. "Then what about you?"
"If the world of Cultivators truly cannot tolerate Demon Cultivators, if it cannot tolerate an Immortal and Demon Dual Cultivator like me, then why are you willing to stand with me?"
Xie Ningyuan was silent for a long time before he let out a soft laugh. "Because... I think it’s wrong."
Hope instantly filled Lu Sangjiu’s eyes. "Since you also think it’s wrong, then maybe many others don’t agree with this way of thinking either... Perhaps we can change the world’s prejudice?"
He lowered his gaze, concealing the desolation in his eyes. "I’ve tried... But alas, I couldn’t do it."
He said it so simply, but Lu Sangjiu had no idea what he had once sacrificed for that cause.
He let out a low sigh and looked at her earnestly. "Lu Sangjiu, my only wish is for you to walk toward your future with a firm Dao heart, free from distractions, unburdened by sentiment, and undisturbed by worldly affairs."
"...You must understand. You’re different from everyone else. You can’t afford to lose."
Lu Sangjiu’s fists clenched and unclenched. In the end, she had to admit that Xie Ningyuan was right about everything... She couldn’t afford to lose. If she lost, she would be beyond redemption.
"...Thank you for the reminder. I understand all of this, and I know what I need to do."
She looked up at him, her gaze serious. "You may indeed have my best interests at heart, but I hope... that in the future, you will stop interfering in my affairs."
"I am aware of the risks, but how I choose to act is my own decision to make."
Xie Ningyuan stared at her. "So... you like Gu Jue?"
"...That has nothing to do with it."
"So you do like him."
Lu Sangjiu: "..."
’He’s crazy.’
Growing annoyed with his questioning, she turned to leave. "Think whatever you want. If there’s nothing else, I’m going."
Xie Ningyuan raised an eyebrow. "You don’t want your new clothes anymore?"
"No. You can keep the Spirit Stones for yourself."
While the current Lu Sangjiu was quite fond of money, she wasn’t some country bumpkin who had never seen Spirit Stones before. When she was in a good mood, she didn’t mind humbling herself for some Spirit Stones.
But when she was in a bad mood, she couldn’t be bothered to crack a smile for him even if he piled a mountain of Spirit Stones at her feet, let alone for a few new outfits.
Watching her walk away, Xie Ningyuan didn’t chase after her or say anything else.
’She’s right, it’s her life, after all.’ He had stopped her once and had clearly laid out all the risks for her. If she still insisted on having her own way... Tsk. He suddenly felt a headache coming on.
He knew that even if she stubbornly forged her own path, he would still help her.
Before, it was because of her connection to Gu Huang. But now... now it was because she had shown him a new hope.
His Buddha Heart was already destroyed; doing nothing was just a slow path to death. But now that a new hope had appeared... he would protect her as she grew, even if it cost him his life.
Everything Xie Ningyuan said today was something Lu Sangjiu had long understood. Still, having it all laid out so plainly before her was inescapably irritating.
If she returned to the main hall now, Feng Lin would surely be full of questions, and she was in no mood to deal with him.
After a moment of thought, she remembered the appointment she had made with that Artifact Refining Master. She had missed it because she’d had to use her Demonic Qi to heal Xie Ningyuan.
’I’ve got time on my hands now, so I might as well go check it out.’
So, Lu Sangjiu went alone to the office at the foot of the Gold and Silver Gate’s mountain. As luck would have it, the Artifact Refining Master was free, so she didn’t even need an appointment this time and was led straight up the mountain.
Of course, the places where they normally received guests weren’t inside the actual gates of the Gold and Silver Gate sect. Instead, there was a separate courtyard just a little ways up from the foot of the mountain.
The row of buildings facing the base of the mountain served as the consultation offices for the sect’s famous Artifact Refining Masters, Alchemy Masters, and the like.
The courtyards in the back were used to entertain distinguished guests.
Lu Sangjiu was led into one of the rooms, where she met the renowned Artifact Refining Master, Wei Lingyun.
"Greetings, Senior."
Lu Sangjiu bowed respectfully, then took out her Six-sided Exquisite Dice along with a miscellaneous collection of Refining Materials she had recently gathered.
"I’m very fond of this Six-sided Exquisite Dice, but unfortunately, it’s only a Low Grade Magical Treasure. I’ve collected a number of Refining Materials and was hoping Senior could help me upgrade it. Would that be possible?"
Wei Lingyun said nothing, simply taking the Six-sided Exquisite Dice in hand to examine it. After a long moment, a flicker of interest crossed his face. "This Magic Treasure is rather interesting. The Artifact Refiner had a good idea, but their execution was average. It seems versatile, but in truth, each of its functions is quite lackluster."
Lu Sangjiu nodded in agreement. "Its Five Elements Attribute attacks are all just basic. They’re fine for an average fight, but they’re not nearly enough against a powerful opponent."
Wei Lingyun then inspected Lu Sangjiu’s Refining Materials one by one, his expression one of satisfaction. "These are all quality materials. It couldn’t have been easy for a mere Foundation Establishment Cultivator to find them."
"I find this project rather interesting. I’ll take the job."
"However, I can’t guarantee I can upgrade it to a top-grade magic treasure. Once these materials are used, they’re gone, and the Magic Treasure itself could be destroyed in the process. You need to be prepared for that."
Lu Sangjiu was taken aback. She had only been hoping for an upgrade to Mid-grade. After all, the Artifact Refining Coupon the Sect Leader gave her was only for a Mid-grade Treasure. She never expected Wei Lingyun to mention a top-grade magic treasure right from the start.
Although it presented a dilemma, upgrading it to top-grade would be the best possible outcome.
So Lu Sangjiu immediately replied, "Of course. I understand the risks. Please, proceed, Senior."
She paused, then added, "It’s just... the Artifact Refining Coupon I have from an elder is only for forging a Mid-grade Treasure. If you succeed in making it top-grade, how many additional Spirit Stones would that cost?"
Wei Lingyun took her Artifact Refining Coupon and inspected it. After confirming its authenticity, he nodded. "I’m not yet sure what grade I can achieve. For today, I’ll just accept this coupon."
"If it fails or only reaches Mid-grade, you won’t need to pay any extra Spirit Stones. If it becomes top-grade, you will owe me another three hundred top-grade spirit stones."
