Chapter 115: The Bald Man Hitching a Ride on the Flying Skiff

Inside the flying vessel’s cabin, Ji Yao and Ling Ru exchanged a glance, each tightening their grip on their respective flying swords. Ji Yao silently counted down three, and the two of them shot forward into the air.

As Ji Yao soared out, she recalled the flying vessel, now shrunk to the size of a walnut. When she turned around, she saw a gleaming bald head rapidly descending before them, yet there was no sound of any shout.

The two wielded their flying swords, descending straight toward the ground. As they approached the earth, they noticed that the bald-headed figure hadn’t crashed down as they had anticipated.

Looking up, they saw the figure five meters above the ground, clad in a white hemp monk’s robe. At that moment, the robe ballooned out like an inflated sphere, slowly lowering the bald figure within.

The two looked up in silence for a moment. Ji Yao wanted to say that this was completely unscientific, but how could one explain anything in the cultivation world with science? All phenomena beyond scientific reasoning appeared quite naturally in this realm—no matter how absurd they seemed, it was merely a matter of one’s ignorance.

They watched, wide-eyed, as the spherical figure gently landed on the ground and bounced a few times.

A soft “pfft” sound like air escaping stirred dust into the air, startling the two women into stepping back hastily, afraid of being covered in grime. Of course, there was no hidden meaning—it was truly just the sound of air escaping.

The inflated monk’s robe suddenly deflated, settling smoothly back onto the figure.

The bald head, face down, lifted and shook left and right, flicking off clumps of dirt. Supporting himself with both hands at his sides, he curled his knees and stood upright from the ground.

His face was smeared with mud, obscuring his true appearance. Only his wide grin and gleaming white teeth were visible before he clasped his hands together and intoned a Buddhist chant.

“Amitabha!” he walked a few steps toward Ji Yao and Ling Ru. “Dear female patrons, please grant this humble monk a cleansing spell. Thank you kindly.”

Before he could finish his first word of thanks, a refreshing cleansing spell washed over him like a spring breeze, accompanied by a giant water sphere nearly half a person’s height.

The cleansing spell swept the dirt off the bald figure, while the huge water sphere drenched the monk completely from head to toe.

The white hemp robe, made of ordinary fabric and not a magical garment, was not waterproof. The once loose robe now clung wetly to the young monk’s body, clearly outlining his form.

The monk looked a little dazed. Ling Ru awkwardly averted her gaze, but Ji Yao appraised him from head to toe.

Surprisingly, the monk who had looked like a floating sphere actually had a well-built physique, with distinct muscle lines on his upper body. Ji Yao had initially thought he was plump around the belly, which explained the way he bounced on the ground.

Ling Ru subtly tugged at Ji Yao’s sleeve, and only then did she realize that staring at such a young and handsome monk was rather inappropriate, even though the robe was thick and opaque.

Ji Yao quickly cast another cleansing spell to remove the moisture from the monk’s clothes, then wrinkled her nose at Ling Ru.

Ling Ru shot her a sharp look, and Ji Yao relented, taking the initiative to address the monk.

“Master, apologies! My family is quite particular about cleanliness, and having spent so much time with them, I simply cannot bear a filthy appearance. That’s why I helped you rid yourself of the dirt and smell. Please forgive me.”

The monk, seeing Ji Yao’s action, instantly understood the situation. He guessed that the first cleansing spell came from the red-clad female patron, and the subsequent water sphere was the current speaker’s doing.

He seemed to accept Ji Yao’s apology, brought his hands together, and bowed in a Buddhist salute.

“It is also my fault. Had I not suddenly landed on your flying vessel, I would not have startled you, nor caused this lady to act so rashly.”

Ji Yao ground her teeth inwardly. She felt she had been perfectly reasonable—had she not acted the moment she saw him descend, a sword strike would have been more fitting. Anyone flying peacefully on their vessel would be unsettled by such a sudden weight pressing down. And yet, this monk spoke so openly and uprightly—shameless, indeed.

She raised a hand to stop Ling Ru from retorting, stepped forward, and smiled as she said, “I imagine you are also a cultivator, Master. Let us address each other as fellow cultivators.”

The monk’s aura matched theirs, both at the Foundation Establishment stage. Ji Yao’s suggestion was thus quite fitting, and he nodded readily.

“Then, may I ask, fellow cultivator, why did you climb onto our flying vessel without any greeting? Had we misjudged your intentions and acted against you, wouldn’t it have resulted in immediate bloodshed?”

Ji Yao’s phrasing of “climbed on” was polite—he had in fact rushed onto their vessel.

“Oh! That was indeed my mistake. I was eager to travel but lacked a suitable flying artifact. Seeing your vessel’s speed, I hoped you might carry me for a while.”

So that was the reason for his sudden approach?

Ji Yao felt a pang for her newly acquired flying vessel. “If that’s the case, fellow cultivator, you could have called out beforehand. I’m sure we wouldn’t have ignored you.”

The monk, sensing an opportunity, quickly nodded. “Yes, it was my oversight. May I ask if you would kindly give me a ride now? You two must be cultivators of Lingyun Sect! I am a disciple of the Nine Buddhas Temple. Since we belong to the Seven Great Sects, if convenient, I humbly request you to accompany me for a while…”

Ji Yao was about to decline when the monk quickly added more.

“The vegetarian meals at Nine Buddhas Temple are quite famous. If you have the leisure, you might visit the temple and sample its offerings. I would be honored to host you in the temple’s dining hall.”

“No need!” Ji Yao was about to refuse, but Ling Ru gave her a sharp pinch from behind.

Ling Ru pulled Ji Yao behind her and said kindly, “Fellow cultivator, your words are too polite. As disciples of the Seven Great Sects, helping one another is only right. We were actually planning to visit Nine Buddhas Temple ourselves. When the time comes, we’ll rely on you as our host to show us around!”

The two grew more and more congenial, completely disregarding Ji Yao, the vessel’s owner.

Only when a fair hand appeared before Ji Yao’s eyes did she realize they had reached an agreement to travel together to Nine Buddhas Temple.

Hey! Are you two out of your minds? This is my flying vessel, my training journey!

When did I say I wanted to go to Nine Buddhas Temple? Could you at least consult me before making plans?

In the end, Ji Yao succumbed to Ling Ru’s stern gaze, reluctantly handing over control of the flying vessel.

She still managed to assert herself one last time, sending a message through her aura to Ling Ru:

“All the spirit stones for this trip are your responsibility!”

No way would she let the owner lose both her ship and her resources!