Chapter 266: Rule Moon, Imperial Flow Nectar, Feeding the Little One

"Hu Ze Zhi," Lu Qing asked, "do you wish to travel with us to Sheng Shan?"

"Yes," Hu Ze Zhi replied, nodding.

Once she had spoken, she seemed to relax, her gaze meeting Lu Qing’s with quiet sincerity.

"But this journey to Sheng Shan could be perilous. And you were planning to apply to Xuan Xin Zong, weren’t you?"

"I can’t walk properly now—my leg is broken. I’ll never make it to the recruitment ceremony. Even if I tried, I’d be rejected on the spot. I’d rather not embarrass myself."

She looked at Lu Qing, her expression earnest. "So I think it’d be better to come with you. At least I’d gain some real experience. That way, this trip across Zhong Zhou wouldn’t have been in vain."

She paused, her voice softening. "As for danger—what journey doesn’t carry risk? Even those closest to you, even elders you trust, might turn on you without warning. A knife in the back is never far."

Her face darkened slightly—clearly, the near-death experience at the hands of the Red-Clothed Woman just outside Qinglong City still haunted her.

"So, Lu Gongzi, Old Doctor… I beg you, let me come with you. If danger comes, and I end up dragging you down, you don’t have to save me. This is my choice. I won’t regret it."

Lu Qing stared at her, stunned. For the first time, he truly saw the girl before him—her quiet strength, her resolve.

Then he smiled. "It’s not that serious. We only offered because we saw your injury. But since you’ve made up your mind, we’d be heartless to turn you away."

"Lu Gongzi… you really mean it?" Hu Ze Zhi’s eyes lit up with joy.

"Yes. The carriage has room. But starting tomorrow, we’ll be traveling nonstop. There won’t be many stops. You’ll need to prepare yourself for the pace."

"I won’t complain, Lu Gongzi!" Hu Ze Zhi nodded firmly.

"Then let’s go down. That commotion earlier drew attention. Someone might come knocking."

Though the Heaven and Earth Dao Yin could only be heard by those with Xian Tian Jing Qiang Zhe or rare innate talents, the phenomenon of Moon Essence descending across the land had been visible to everyone.

Lu Qing’s act of collecting the essence into the Jade Bottle hadn’t been quiet. Someone might have noticed.

They weren’t afraid—but there was no point in inviting trouble.

With Xiao Yan and Hu Ze Zhi in tow, Lu Qing descended from the rooftop. Fortunately, the inn’s Zhang Gui and the waiter were ordinary people, oblivious to anything unusual. No explanations were needed.

Ma Gu and Wei Zian, likely exhausted from the long day’s journey, were still asleep, undisturbed.

"Go back to your room and rest, Hu Ze Zhi," Lu Qing said. "We’ll be leaving early tomorrow."

"Alright," she replied, though curiosity sparkled in her eyes. Still, she understood this wasn’t the time. With a quiet nod, she retreated into her room.

When the door clicked shut, Lu Qing turned to Old Doctor.

"Master, I need to study how to use this Moon Essence. I’ll have to postpone our work on the Toxic Blood for now."

"No problem," Old Doctor said, waving a hand. "I’ll work on it myself. You focus on your own matters."

He knew that if Lu Qing was this serious, the Moon Essence must be of immense importance—far greater than even he had guessed.

After bidding farewell to his master, Lu Qing returned to his room. Xiao Li immediately darted over, eyes wide with anticipation.

"Just wait a moment, my little one," Lu Qing said, ruffling her head. Then he sat on the edge of the bed and pulled out the Jade Bottle.

Xiao Li’s eyes lit up. She crouched beside him, utterly still, waiting.

Even Xiao Yan leaned in, intrigued.

"Brother," she asked, "is the stuff in the Jade Bottle important to Xiao Li?"

"Not certain yet," Lu Qing replied. "Let me check first."

He didn’t open the bottle immediately. Instead, he extended a thread of Spirit Soul Power to probe the intricate patterns etched on the Jade Bottle.

The sudden Heaven and Earth Disturbance had come without warning. He’d had no time to prepare—only enough to use his overwhelming Spirit Soul Power to forcibly inscribe three sealing talismans onto the bottle, temporarily giving it the ability to contain the Moon Essence.

Otherwise, no ordinary vessel could hold such a divine essence.

After a moment of inspection, Lu Qing shook his head.

"Indeed. The container was too hastily made. It can hold the essence for now, but it can’t seal it completely. Over time, it will still leak."

He activated his Abilities and stared at the Jade Bottle.

In his vision, a surge of deep red light flared from the bottle, and several words appeared:

> Seal Jade Bottle: Forcibly crafted using sealing talismans. Capable of storing luminous spiritual liquid.

> This Jade Bottle now possesses partial artifact power.

> Crafting technique crude. Room for improvement.

Lu Qing blinked. Even his Abilities judged the bottle’s craftsmanship as rough and unfinished.

He chuckled, shaking his head. Then, he unscrewed the stopper.

Silver light spilled out. A divine fragrance wafted through the air. Lu Qing inhaled deeply—and instantly felt his mind clear. The Spirit Soul Power within his Brow Qi Cavity cooled, refreshed.

Xiao Li’s eyes widened, fixated on the bottle. She stared, utterly enchanted.

"Brother… it smells so good," she whispered.

Xiao Yan inhaled deeply too, her eyes closing in delight.

"Unbelievable," Lu Qing murmured. "Just the scent clears the mind, sharpens thought."

He held the bottle close, peering inside. Silver light swirled within—like a tiny moon trapped in glass.

After a moment, the purple glow of his Abilities flickered to life.

> Moon Essence: A sacred essence drawn from the Rule Moon, imbued with a trace of cosmic order.

> Capable of awakening the spirit in all things, purifying bloodlines, and igniting the spark of consciousness.

> Legend says: countless drops of Moon Essence can be refined into Imperial Flow Nectar. One drop alone can transform a beast into a great demon, granting it a thousand years of cultivation.

Lu Qing’s heart thudded.

The information in those words was staggering.

First, the term Rule Moon. The moon tonight had been unnaturally bright and vast—far more so than any ordinary full moon. Even his Abilities couldn’t perceive its nature.

Could it be… that the moon wasn’t a physical body, but a manifestation of cosmic rules?

Could tonight’s moon be a rule-born entity, not a celestial body at all?

The realization sent a chill through him. His understanding of this world had deepened once more.

Then, the idea of refining Moon Essence into Imperial Flow Nectar.

One drop could make a beast a demon, grant it millennia of cultivation.

If Xiao Li drank it… Lu Qing dared not imagine her power.

But he sighed. Too bad. His cultivation wasn’t high enough. If he’d been stronger, he might have captured all the Moon Essence from across the region.

But he quickly calmed himself.

Don’t be greedy. Getting this much was already a miracle.

To drain all the moonlight from tens or even hundreds of miles—such an act would rob countless creatures of their chance at enlightenment. Who knew what consequences might follow?

And with Master receiving mysterious warnings, and Hu Ze Zhi—a rare Qi Yun talent—appearing… Lu Qing had no desire to provoke the unseen will of Heaven.

With that thought, the pang of regret faded.

He looked down at Xiao Li, who still stared at him with wide, hopeful eyes.

"Alright, Xiao Li. I’ve checked. The Moon Essence is pure. But… can I make a request?"

Xiao Li’s face brightened—then clouded as she heard the next words.

"The bottle isn’t empty. I’d like to share a little with the two horses pulling our carriage. They’ve been working hard every day. They deserve a reward."

Xiao Li’s face fell. She looked down, torn. After a long pause, she slowly nodded.

"I knew you’d understand," Lu Qing smiled, ruffling her head. "You’re the most sensible little one."

He raised the Jade Bottle. "Open your mouth."

There was no other way to feed it—only direct pouring, as no other container could hold the essence.

Xiao Li tilted her head back, her mouth wide open, eyes gleaming with anticipation.

Lu Qing didn’t delay. He brought the bottle close.

Gulp, gulp…

As promised, the bottle was nearly full. He’d collected everything within a few miles.

Xiao Li drank deeply, savoring every drop.

When she’d consumed nearly half, she paused, raising a paw and gently pushing the bottle away.

Lu Qing immediately pulled it back and sealed it.

"Enough?" he asked.

"Awooo…" Xiao Li whined softly, silver light spilling from her mouth. But she didn’t care. She staggered to her little nest on the bed and curled up, instantly asleep.

"Brother," Xiao Yan whispered. "Xiao Li’s asleep again."

"Who knows how long this time will last," Lu Qing said, shaking his head.

He glanced at Xiao Yan, then reopened the bottle.

"Xiao Yan, here. Have a taste."

He’d noticed her surreptitiously licking her lips earlier, watching Xiao Li drink with longing.

"But… brother, didn’t you say we were saving some for the horses?"

"I’ve plenty left. More than enough for them."

He wasn’t just saying it to reassure her—though part of him was touched. The little one was growing up. She wasn’t just chasing sweets anymore.

With a smile, Xiao Yan opened her mouth.

Lu Qing poured a small amount into her mouth.

She shivered slightly, then licked her lips, grinning.

"Brother… it’s sweet! And cool. Like the mint candies Chen Ye Ye used to make!"

Lu Qing: …

The Moon Essence—something countless beasts and spirits yearned for—was being compared to candy.

Only Xiao Yan could make such a thing seem trivial.

But he understood. The true power of Moon Essence lay in awakening spirit in the natural world—plants, animals, insects, fish. For beings like Xiao Yan, who already possessed a rare and powerful constitution, the effect was negligible. To her, it was little more than a sweet treat.

"Alright, stay here and watch over Xiao Li," Lu Qing said. "I’ll be back soon."

He left the room, the Jade Bottle in hand, heading straight for the stable.

Neigh! Neigh!

The horses stirred as they sensed him.

"Easy," Lu Qing said, sending a calming wave of spirit essence. "It’s me."

Yunlai Town was a quiet little village. Few travelers came through. The inn had only their party as guests tonight. So only their two horses were in the stable.

Seeing Lu Qing, the horses quieted—but their eyes never left the Jade Bottle.

"Good nose, huh?" Lu Qing chuckled, uncorking the bottle.

"Here. I brought you something special."

Whoosh! The scent poured out.

The horses snorted, their bodies trembling with excitement.

"Stay calm!" Lu Qing warned. "If you keep this up, I’ll take it back and never give it again."

They froze, silent, but their eyes never left the bottle.

"Half each. No fighting."

He carefully poured the remaining Moon Essence into their mouths—one drop for each.

Almost instantly, the horses began to droop. Their eyelids grew heavy.

"Great. Now you two are going to sleep too? We’ve got to leave early tomorrow!"

Lu Qing frowned. He hadn’t thought this through.

But it was too late. He could only hope they’d wake up in time.

He tucked the Jade Bottle into the Qiankun Yiqi Dai, then left the stable.

Back in his room, he found Xiao Yan already asleep beside Xiao Li.

Tiredness washed over him. He’d cast three talismans in rapid succession—his spirit was drained, even with the Soil Spirit Pearl’s replenishment.

He blew out the candle and climbed into bed.

That night, he slept deeply and peacefully—no dreams, no disturbance.

Then, in the haze of half-sleep, a childish voice echoed in his mind:

"Ah… A Qing…"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end