Chapter Thirty-Three: The Fire Cloud Daoist

  Two chapters are uploaded together, I really don't want to separate them and disrupt the continuity of the story, please recommend and support.

  Chu Yu stayed in Zhang Jiang's villa for two days and one night, firstly because he really had something to do, secondly because he didn't want to run into Chu Nianxiao and Su Jingyi in the near future. Thinking back to that day when he was sandwiched between the big and little beauties in the taxi, Chu Yu couldn't help but feel a chill. It's better to wait until those two girls forget about that matter...

  For two days and one night, Chu Yu did not leave the house, wholeheartedly devoting himself to his cultivation. This was because among the materials that Hua Tianxiong had transported from the treasure vault of the Imperial Heavenly Fortress, about half were various types of sacred stones. In the past, Chu Yu had also used these sacred stones to set up several spirit gathering arrays to aid in his cultivation, but they were all small-scale and not very impressive. The spirit arrays he had set up mostly required only a dozen or so sacred stones to maintain for a week's time, and were of the smaller variety.

  Chu Yu took advantage of the spare time to select thirty top-grade spirit stones from various materials, dividing them into five elements, six of each kind. After more than ten hours of hard work in the sunroom of the villa, he set up a "Heavenly Spirit Gathering Array".

  The "Heavenly Spirit Gathering Array" is far more powerful than the ordinary spirit gathering array set up by Chu Yu before, and its speed of gathering heaven and earth spiritual energy is at least three times that of an ordinary spirit gathering array. Moreover, unlike ordinary spirit gathering arrays which are consumable items, as long as a high-quality Ling stone is used to replenish the array when its effect weakens, the array's effectiveness can be restored.

  If there were no such benefits, Chu Yu would not have spent so much effort to set up this "Heavenly Spirit Gathering Array", let alone sacrifice a breath of energy and use up thirty superior spirit stones with five-element properties.

  To know that top-grade celestial stones are different from the inferior celestial stones that can be bought for tens of thousands of dollars in the past, often one top-grade celestial stone is worth hundreds or thousands of inferior celestial stones. What's more, having the five elements attribute makes it even more priceless.

  If it weren't for Hua Tianxiong's thirty years of crazy collecting, it would be extremely difficult to find thirty spirit stones in the mortal world that could form the "Heavenly Spirit Gathering Array".

  At this moment, Chu Yu sat motionless in the center of the "Du Tian Ju Ling Great Array", a faintly visible misty spiritual energy condensed into shape within the array. As Chu Yu manipulated his body's innate true yuan, these precious heavenly and earthly spiritual energies entered through the 36,000 pores on his body, one by one being absorbed by Chu Yu and transformed into innate true yuan.

  This process seems simple, but it is extremely difficult. If Chu Yu hadn't been cultivating the "Shangqing Baolu" which is the highest level of cultivation in this Daoist lineage, he would have only been able to absorb and transform one percent of the accumulated spiritual energy within the array into true yuan. Now, however, he can do so with a tenfold increase, demonstrating the importance of a good cultivation method for advancing one's cultivation.

  At this midnight hour, just as Chu Yu was quietly refining the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to solidify his innate true yuan, a gray shadow that had almost merged with the night flew over and headed straight for the villa where Chu Yu was located.

  At the moment of sudden realization, Chu Yu suddenly opened his slightly closed eyes, and in front of him was an old man in a gray robe who had appeared out of nowhere, frowning and shaking his head.

  Finally seeing this unexpected guest, Chu Yu didn't show any surprise, instead he smiled calmly and maintained his seated position with legs crossed: "It's still two weeks before the task is completed, Old Ghost you arrived early, go sit in the living room downstairs for a while, there's a bottle of Daoguang Xian Cang tribute wine on the table, it was prepared specifically for you, don't drink it all, wait until I complete my task and we'll chat again."

  When the old Taoist in grey heard the words "old ghost" coming from Chu Yu's mouth, his eyebrows had already relaxed, and later when he heard "Dongguang Xue Cang wine", his eyes shone brightly. Before Chu Yu's voice fell, he saw that he had taken a few strands of residual shadow and disappeared into the sunroom.

  "More than thirty years have passed, and this old ghost's temperament hasn't changed in the slightest!" Chu Yu's mouth curled up with a hint of nostalgic smile, and then he closed his eyes again, continuing the unfinished task.

  When Chu Yu collected his thoughts and stood up to go downstairs to the living room, a strong aroma wafted into his nostrils. He saw that Guiyuan Lao was pouring a golden liquid from an ancient wine bottle into another whiskey bottle in his hand.

  "Over thirty years ago, that matter is settled with this bottle of 150-year-old white wine. I won't argue with you about it anymore, but remember, don't think about getting a single drop from me."

  This gray-robed old Taoist was actually Huo Yun, the hundred-year-old friend of Chu Yu before he failed to cross the tribulation. Seeing Chu Yu coming down from the building, this despicable old Taoist suddenly accelerated his pouring speed, and in just a few seconds, he poured all the remaining half bottle of Da Guang Xue Cang wine into his whiskey bottle.

  "You and I still haven't figured out who was right or wrong back then, but you're now shifting all the blame onto me...!" Chu Yu glared at Huo Yun with annoyance, walking over to sit down on the sofa. "Do you know how precious this Gu Gong wine is? Even a king might not be able to have half a cup, and I was kind enough to prepare a bottle to share with you, but you actually drank it all by yourself."

  To be honest, Chu Yu didn't care about this bottle of precious wine worth a city, he just had an old grudge with Huo Yun Dao Ren and couldn't help but show his old attitude when they met again.

  "Haha, this time you're wrong, speaking of that debate back then, I'd say I won against you once."

  It turned out that Huo Yun Dao Ren not only didn't get angry, but instead burst into a loud and extremely shameless laughter: "In the past, you and I debated whether the 'Toxic Dragon Pill' really existed in this world. I said it did, you said it didn't. As a result, after I left in anger and traveled through treacherous mountains and waters for three years, I finally found the legendary Huanbo Pool where the Toxic Dragon Pill was hidden... Although I wasn't powerful enough to enter at that time, since the Huanbo Pool exists, the legend of the Toxic Dragon Pill naturally won't be fake..."

  "Huanbo Pool... You actually went looking for it because of an unfounded argument..."

  Recalling the past, Chu Yu was accustomed to arguing with Huo Yun Dao Ren, and in the end, the two of them focused their debate on whether the first spiritual elixir, Du Long Wan, which is said to have the power to suddenly increase an ordinary person's cultivation to the initial stage of Yuan Ying, really existed in the Zhong Tu Xiu Zhen world.

  It was just a casual remark, but Hu Yun Dao Ren suddenly blurted out that if he couldn't confirm the existence of the poisonous dragon pill, he would never see Chu Yu again. In a fit of anger, Hu Yun Dao Ren went out to search for the elusive poisonous dragon pill, and soon after, Chu Yu retreated from the world and returned to his sect. It wasn't until now that the two saw each other again.

  "That's for sure, when have you ever seen me not keep my word?" Huo Yun Dao Ren said with a hint of self-satisfaction: "If it weren't for the fact that I had confirmed the existence of the Huanbo Pool, I might not have been willing to come here today, humph."

  "Deadly hypocrite……” Chu Yu was very clear about Huo Yun's proud and stubborn personality, but he shook his head and said: "You're still not satisfied with being ruthless. You old ghost really have no conscience. When I was going through my tribulation, you didn't even come to show your face. If you were there that day, at least I wouldn't have had to go through so much trouble finding the furnace and tripod to refine and repair again."

  Huoyun Lao Dao's face turned red upon hearing this, and it was unclear whether it was due to the effects of the wine or if he truly felt embarrassed. "I did receive news that you would be crossing your tribulation at Cang Mang Mountain, but during that time, I happened to be urgently summoned back to our sect, so...so..."

  "Alright, don't say anything else. We've been friends for over a hundred years, and you still don't trust me?" Chu Yu had originally said it in jest, but unexpectedly Huo Yun Dao Ren took it seriously.

  Chu Yu smiled and walked up to Huo Yun, patting him on the shoulder: "I suppose you also know that my tribulation was unsuccessful. Now that I've seized a new body and restarted everything is going smoothly. This time I came looking for you, it's because I want to refine a treasure and need your help."

  "You old brat, you're only at the mid-stage of spiritual awareness and yet you want to refine treasures?" Huo Yun Dao Ren was shocked, staring at Chu Yu as if he were a monster.

  "What's with that look? You think I'm just a mediocre cultivator who can't even refine treasures? Want to try and see who's better?" Chu Yu responded with ill intentions.

  "I'd rather not, this thing is nothing compared to your mastery of refining and crafting. I'm not that foolish." Clearly, Huoyun Daoist had been deceived by Chuyi before, and immediately refused.

  "Speak up, what treasure are you going to refine?" Huo Yun Dao Ren asked straightforwardly.

  "Subdue the Demon's Treasure - Dragon Binding Rope!"

  "Didn't you have one back then?" Huo Yun Dao Ren muttered.

  "When crossing the tribulation was unsuccessful, it was destroyed by the Five Elements Divine Thunderbolt...". Chu Yu shrugged his shoulders and said.

  "Hahahaha... So, you old geezer also has a moment of bad luck like this! What's wrong with rushing to catch up, but instead being caught by the Great Destruction Five Elements Divine Thunderbolt... which might not even happen once in a hundred Heavenly Calamities!" Fire Cloud Dao Ren laughed and said.

  Chu Yu merely smiled wryly, and only after Huo Yun Dao Ren had finished gloating did he say: "You've been in the mortal world for over a hundred years now, and you're still far more powerful than me. I recall that you were once the Grandmaster of the Dragon Group, so it's only natural that your abilities would be much greater than mine. As for refining the 'Dragon Binding Rope', I've already prepared most of the materials, but I'm missing one last item - a dragon tendon. Do you have any way to obtain it?"

  "You think I'm willing to take on the position of Dragon Group's leader? Educating a group of juniors who can't even grow their hair properly, and each one is a pig-headed fool without any wisdom... it's exhausting for an old man like me..." Huo Yun Dao Ren first complained, then thought for a moment before saying: "If it were 100 years ago, the Dragon Tendon would be easy to obtain, but nowadays it's hard to find. There aren't any readily available ones left. However, I do know of a place where there is a 500-year-old young dragon, although its quality is somewhat inferior, it can still make do. What do you think?"

  "It's been 500 years, and the climate has changed a bit, but it can still be used. Chu Yu pondered for a moment and said: "However, with my current cultivation level, you've already seen through me, let alone a small python that's only 500 years old... even a coiled snake that's less than 200 years old and hasn't transformed into a dragon yet might not be able to withstand it... so..."

  Seeing Chu Yu's smiling gaze, Huo Yundao spread his hand and said: "Alright, I'll do a good deed from start to finish. I'll help you catch that little dragon in the Qiantang River, but we must make a deal - next time, you have to get me a few more bottles of this fine wine to moisten my throat."

  "You old drunkard, Daoguang's hidden cave has tribute wine to moisten your throat..."

  Chu Yu deeply felt that the Fire Cloud Old Dao in front of him had a few points of a prodigal son's flavor, "Do you know where this wine came from? 80 million euros were spent on it, and it still has a strong buying and selling nature. There are only two bottles in the world, one is placed in the National Museum, and the other is given to you to fill your wine bottle. If you want to get another bottle, just let the national leader approve it for you, with your identity as the founder of the Dragon Group, opening this mouth, I'm sure no one will refuse you."

  "I don't want it then." Unexpectedly, Huoyun Dao Ren, who was known for his love of wine, made such a decisive choice to give up.

  "In another half year, I'll be completely free and easy. The Dragon Group is the Dragon Group, and I am me, we have nothing to do with each other. Do you think I'm stupid? Rushing in at this juncture to owe someone else a favor, it's likely to be difficult to just walk away later."

  "Then hurry up, with your mid-term cultivation in Unity, it's easy to find me anywhere and anytime."

  "Mistake, it's after fusion." Huo Yun Lao Dao corrected with a smile, narrowing his eyes.

  "It's been over thirty years and you've only improved that much, yet you still have the nerve to say that." Chu Yu wouldn't mind striking another blow at this old friend, "The Qiantang River isn't far away, no matter how slow you are, two days should be enough for you, right?"

  "You think I'm going fishing?!" Hu Yun Lao Dao glared at Chu Yu with a bad temper and said: "Don't look down on that five-hundred-year-old weathered little serpent, it's extremely cunning. Otherwise, when I first saw it, I would have skinned and deboned it long ago. Who would have thought that now I'd be catching it for you to refine into a treasure? Take care of it yourself, it'll take at least three days, or up to ten days or half a month. Once I've dealt with that little serpent, I'll naturally come find you."

  Huoyun Daoist came suddenly and left suddenly, his voice fell at the same time, and he was no longer seen in the living room. This Qingwei Sect's senior guest elder with a high generation, had a cultivation that penetrated heaven and earth, if it wasn't for owing a favor to Taizu and agreeing to create a dragon team specializing in resisting foreign strange powers for China, would have likely crossed the calamity earlier than Chuyi.

  Chu Yu smiled and stood up, seeing the empty wine cabinet in the living room, couldn't help but laugh and shake his head, thinking to himself, "This old ghost has always been like this, only loving that much..."

  Yesterday, I asked everyone to help think of a new name for the Dragon Group. Many brothers commented on the book review and Idle Cloud basically read and added them all to the essence. There will be a small modification in the near future, but for now, we'll continue using the term "Dragon Group". Finally, I'd like to thank everyone who has been supporting Idle Cloud for over half a month, it's really touching! Currently, there are 15,002 collections, and I'm moved to tears. The only regret is that although the number of collections isn't small, the recommendations are still few, so I hope everyone can help pull me up a bit more.