Chapter 34

The Heavenly Boat Departs

Wang Wang Panpan was right; since the Ruan girl had already appeared in public, all the major sects of the Central Continent knew that the Profound Heaven Sect had made a blunder and brought back a fake. For the next year or so, regardless of how the major sects fought tooth and nail in the various countries of the South Zhuzhou, life in Junping Prefecture and the Altar City remained relatively peaceful. Even the many merchants who had previously relocated to the Floating Dream Marsh, seeing that the most dangerous moments had passed and unwilling to miss the peak season, began to pack up their goods as soon as the Heavenly Boat returned from the void. They returned to Altar City from the Floating Dream Marsh, seizing the time to sell the specialties of South Zhuzhou to merchant firms like the Baozhi Firm, while also acquiring a significant amount of precious materials and medicinal herbs from the major firms of the Central Continent, not to mention preparing for future sales.

As for the group from the Taibai Sword Sect, their movements were not as they wished. Liu and Lu had originally intended to take Yan Huan Changyuan and Dong Shuangcheng back to the Sword Sect, but the Taibai Sword Sect was located in the remote southwest of South Zhuzhou, and the journey was extremely long. Furthermore, the Sword Venerable had sent a flying sword message stating that several major sects of the Central Continent were clashing near the Sword Sect, and the spiritual energy on the return path was very unstable, with frequent spatial tremors. He instructed the group to delay their return to the sect and simply wait in the Floating Dream Marsh, deciding what to do only after the Heavenly Boat departed.

Since this was the case, Liu and Lu split into two groups. Elder Lu and Shopkeeper Wen joined forces to lead the Sword Sect's merchant caravan and the staff of the Righteousness Firm back to Altar City, borrowing the storefront of the Righteousness Firm for trade. Their relationship was no longer what it used to be, having advanced a step further, so this did not feel like an intrusion. True Person Liu remained in the Floating Dream Marsh to instruct the two juniors, but since the spiritual energy in South Zhuzhou was currently turbulent, it was not a good time for cultivation. They merely sparred with sword moves, and True Person Liu's own cultivation progress was also significantly delayed. One day, he couldn't help but sigh, "South Zhuzhou is, after all, a place of ease, and it truly cannot compare to the cultivators of the Central Continent. Just a slight instability and they act as if facing a formidable enemy, not daring to cultivate unless hidden within the sect gates. It is no wonder that the young boys and girls of the Song, Chu, and Wu kingdoms are so highly sought after here in our South Zhuzhou, while the cultivators of the Central Continent look upon them with disdain."

Although the Floating Dream Marsh was stable, because it was shielded by a natural grand array, the space within the marsh was limited, making it impossible to practice sword techniques to one's heart's content. Dong Shuangcheng had long since grown bored. On this day, she finally managed to pester True Person Liu into taking them out of the array. She transformed into a streak of sword light, weaving and dancing up and down, barely managing to vent the pent-up frustration of being confined in one place for these past days. She landed beside True Person Liu and asked, "Uncle-Master, is it possible that the spiritual energy of the Central Continent is even worse than ours in South Zhuzhou?"

True Person Liu said, "The Central Continent is rich in treasures and resources, which our South Zhuzhou cannot compare to, but precisely because of this, the storms are even more intense. It is not easy to gain a foothold in the Central Continent. The North North Youzhou and South Zhuzhou closest to the Central Continent both have many sects eyeing it covetously, wanting to carve out a domain for themselves in the Central Continent. Disputes, large and small, occur daily. Although disasters on the scale of spatial storms are rare, unstable spiritual energy is commonplace. Cultivators of the Central Continent naturally possess a skill: the ability to smooth out spiritual energy. As long as it is not the most extreme situation, they can cultivate their techniques and polish their cultivation. As for South Zhuzhou, it is the common people of those three kingdoms who, having been confined for seven hundred years, have produced a batch of cultivation seeds naturally capable of regulating spiritual energy."

Dong Shuangcheng smiled and said, "If that is the case, why doesn't our Sword Sect also set up a Spirit-Severing Array and send those mortals with aptitude inside to reproduce for a few generations? Wouldn't we also have many cultivation seeds?"

"You are talking nonsense," True Person Liu snorted. "A Spirit-Severing Array consumes a massive amount of resources and cannot be set up by anyone other than a Grotto-Heaven Ancestor. Cultivation seeds are merely a bonus; the array was naturally set up for something more important at the time. Alright, let's not discuss this. The Heavenly Boat has brought two major demonic sects; you have also heard me speak of the power of the Demon Sect cultivators."

Both Dong and Yan Huan knew about the matter of the Floating Dream Marsh's Dao Palace Treasure Mirror being seen through by the Lord of the Dharma Treasury at a glance. With the marsh lacking the treasure mirror, that period had been very inconvenient. They understood even better that the matter of the Donghua Sword Seed involved too much and was truly not suitable for public discussion in the wilderness, so they glossed over it. Dong Shuangcheng, however, was very much looking forward to the Central Continent and sighed, "I wonder when I will be able to go to the Central Continent and meet the sword cultivators of the world."

True Person Liu said with a chuckle, "If it were ordinary disciples, I would advise them to extinguish this thought, so as not to harbor longing and give rise to inner demons, which would instead delay their own cultivation. But you two are different from them; perhaps you really will be able to go to the Central Continent to broaden your horizons in the future. However, that will at least be a matter for the Golden Core stage."

Traveling from South Zhuzhou to the Central Continent, if one cannot take the Heavenly Boat and the sect lacks a magic treasure capable of crossing continents, it would take over a hundred years. One cannot cultivate while traveling by boat, and a Foundation Establishment cultivator truly cannot afford this time. Even for a Golden Core cultivator, a hundred years of travel is considered long. Therefore, while the cultivators of South Zhuzhou naturally yearn for the Central Continent, it is unheard of for any cultivator to take the Heavenly Boat just to broaden their horizons—going is easy, but how to return after arriving is the dilemma. Dong Shuangcheng was just speaking casually, and hearing True Person Liu not refute her whimsical idea, she was extremely puzzled. She looked at Yan Huan Changyuan, wanting him to ask, but Yan Huan Changyuan rarely spoke on weekdays and seemed indifferent to the Central Continent. Seeing him not take the bait, Dong Shuangcheng rolled her eyes at him, thinking, "He usually has nothing to say, but he's quick enough when it comes to snatching sword servants from me."

What kind of sword servant she was snatching, she couldn't quite remember. Just as she was about to ponder it, she heard a long cry coming from far away in the sky. She couldn't help but fly up to look, setting the matter aside. "What is this? It sounds like a cry from the direction of Altar City. Are they fighting again?"

"It is the long cry of the Heavenly Boat." True Person Liu also stood in the air. As a Golden Core cultivator, what he saw was far more profound than Shuangcheng's. After just a few glances, he knew the truth. "The three years are almost up, and the Heavenly Boat is opening its Grotto-Heaven. These fellow Daoists of the Central Continent are finally going back."

Behind him, cultivators kept walking out of the array, all sighing, "Are they finally leaving?"

Over these three years, the Central Continent cultivators had stirred up disputes everywhere, and it was unknown how many people had suffered as a result. However, their cultivation was profound and their spending generous; whether in trade or in discussing the Dao, they had been of great benefit to many. They had even taken back a large batch of fine jade and materials from South Zhuzhou. If these youths achieved success in their cultivation in the future, it would also be a fortunate event for South Zhuzhou. Thus, the cultivators' feelings toward the Central Continent were truly complex. Because of the demonic sects, it was inconvenient to discuss it in public, so they could only sigh to themselves. Their feet did not stop, and each transformed into light, heading toward Altar City. True Person Liu could not avoid the trend either. He loaded his two juniors onto a magic boat and said, "When they arrived, we stayed far away. Now that they are leaving, we cannot miss this excitement, and it will also let you two witness the cultivators of the world."

Yan Huan Changyuan and his companion had indeed not caught the Heavenly Boat docking. Hearing this, Shuangcheng was very curious, while Changyuan remained as indifferent as ever. Seeing this, Shuangcheng was indignant and teased Changyuan along the way, wanting him to admit that he had never seen such a grand spectacle. Talking and chatting, they soon arrived at Altar City. They saw that at the entrance of Altar City, there were no idle people left. Only a giant turtle was squatting there. The turtle's back shone, and a long scroll fluttered upon it. It looked light and weightless, but the blue veins on the turtle's feet were knotted, and the bluestone ground at the entrance of Altar City was collapsing and cracking in patches, not knowing how much heavy weight it was bearing.

"This is the Grotto-Heaven within the boat." True Person Liu stared unblinkingly at the flowers, plants, spiritual trees, floating peaks, and flying pavilions that appeared and disappeared within the fluttering scroll. He said, "You must watch carefully. The opening and closing of such Grotto-Heaven magic treasures naturally stimulates the mysteries of space. The divine charm within flows in four directions, and observers will have their own insights, all depending on their opportunity. This is also why when Nascent Soul cultivators fight, observers are like clouds. It's just that when they fight, one has to worry about being caught in the aftermath. Opportunities like this, where one can admire a Grotto-Heaven magic treasure at will, are rare."

The two disciples looked as instructed and indeed saw the faint halo around the giant turtle, with Dao charm flowing. It seemed profound and difficult to understand, but after watching for a long time, each had their own realizations in their hearts. It was just that the insights were hard to put into words, and they were intoxicated, gazing at the entrance of Altar City from the magic boat, long unwilling to leave.

There were not a few cultivators with as much insight as True Person Liu. The floating pavilions around Altar City had not been brought out since the Battle of the Lu Kingdom. Only Ning Shantang, having avoided the spatial storm, had been placed by the Dao Palace to the north of Altar City. To the south, there had always been only the floating island of Junping Prefecture. At this time, Ning Shantang was already packed with cultivators, and there were many floating magic boats stationed above and below to the east and west of Altar City. They were all cultivators from various places who had come to see the Heavenly Boat. Even more escape lights kept falling into the city. On the ground and in the rivers, merchant caravans were moving in and out of Altar City like ants. True Person Liu looked at everything and couldn't help but sigh, "This is truly a grand event that our South Zhuzhou has not seen in a thousand years. To be present at such an occasion is also fate."

As he was speaking, he heard shouting from within Altar City. The managers of the Baozhi Firm, leading two stewards, flew up from the city. He sacrificed a gold coin, which shone brightly in the air. After a tremor, it suddenly cast out a thousand kinds of brilliance, like silk ribbons, floating in all directions, hanging down from the thousand-foot-high sky where Altar City was located to the ground. The managers laughed, "Lads of the Baozhi Firm, we are selling our goods and returning to the mountain!"

One could hear echoes from all directions. Near in Altar City, and far away at the majestic mountain passes, the peddlers of the Baozhi Firm threw themselves into the golden ribbons one after another, being pulled by the light ribbons toward the managers. Some, while in the jade ribbons, turned back to bid farewell to their companions below, saying, "See you in the Central Continent!"

"This journey spans ten thousand miles of ocean; I hope we can meet again!"

"If the goods are good, I will bring a letter myself!"

The managers pinched seals in their hands, and the gold coins spun around. The light ribbons danced like water sleeves. The thickest golden ribbon illuminated the entrance to the Grotto-Heaven within the boat. Those peddlers were flung into the air, falling into this grand thoroughfare, and dropped straight into the Grotto-Heaven. Thousands of peddlers, pulled and flung by the light ribbons, one after another, without the slightest disorder, in an orderly fashion—everyone watched, dumbfounded. True Person Liu said, "This gold coin is a magic treasure commonly used by the managers of the Baozhi Firm. The mother coin is the Baozhi Jade Coin brought by the managers. However, Grotto-Heaven magic treasures are not easily moved. The chief manager of the Baozhi Firm always carries such a child coin with him. Baozhi coins are best at maneuvering and rotating. The wonderful uses of this magic treasure are endless, far beyond just being used for conquest. This is the foundation of a major sect."

The Taibai Sword Sect also had a treasure of conquest, which was quite famous in South Zhuzhou; otherwise, the sect would not have dared to dream of being promoted from a minor sect to a major sect. Dong Shuangcheng had thought that although the Sword Sect was currently living under others, it was actually not much different from a major sect, and it was even harder to imagine how much more magnificent the Central Continent could be. Now, seeing the posture of the managers, she realized that the many magic treasures of the Central Continent had endless wonderful uses and were truly not something that ordinary people could easily imagine. She said, "Why are the people of the Baozhi Firm the first to go back?"

"The peddlers of the Baozhi Firm are also the first to come out. They carry a large volume of goods, so they go in first and come out first, which is convenient for arrangement."

Elder Lu and Shopkeeper Wen received True Person Liu's message and also came out from Altar City to welcome them. At this time, they boarded the magic boat. After the few exchanged greetings, Shopkeeper Wen stroked his beard and said, "The more honorable the sect's status, the later they depart. Only the Baozhi Firm is an exception, valuing business above all else; it can be called an anomaly. After they have finished entering, it should be the cultivators of the minor sects."

With the help of the gold coins, in less than half a day, the Baozhi Firm's cultivators had finished entering. Next, the various merchant firms and itinerant traders also lined up and entered in an orderly fashion. Always one team finished, then another team opened, never crossing or merging. Some cultivators who were well-informed pointed and said, "This is all very particular. The Grotto-Heaven within the boat has layers of restrictions, and each cannot communicate with the others. After all, these many sects often clash in the Central Continent. If a conflict were to occur within the Grotto-Heaven, it would be hard to clean up. Therefore, each cultivator has a time. They came in a certain boat room, and they leave the same way. If they are late, they will absolutely not wait—South Zhuzhou has many small traditions that were left behind by Central Continent disciples who failed to catch the return trip when the Heavenly Boat last visited thousands of years ago."

Everyone suddenly realized and said one after another, "It seems that crossing the ocean requires caution everywhere. If one is stranded somewhere and misses the boat schedule, it will be difficult to go back."

"Isn't that just the case? Those merchant caravans that cross the ocean take over a hundred years to go and come back. A Qi Condensation cultivator cannot finish such a long journey in a lifetime. I heard that the boat has already become a mortal kingdom; otherwise, even the servants would not be enough to use."

Amidst the discussion, the merchant caravans had already finished entering. From Ning Shantang, a team of people flew up, laughing and talking as they headed toward the altar entrance. A group of more than ten people rode in a fragrant carriage, with starlight faintly appearing on the front of the carriage, which was very eye-catching in the sunlight.

No one knew when these cultivators came out. Now that they had stayed in South Zhuzhou for three years, busybodies had long since found out. Someone said, "These are the cultivators of Chui Xue Mountain. They have accepted many disciples in the Song Kingdom. It is rumored that this sect has a water-spirit technique that guards the sect, which is a secret transmission of the Dao Ancestor. I don't know if it's true or false."

Everyone couldn't help but sigh in admiration. Dong Shuangcheng thought silently in her heart, "This is nothing strange. Our Sword Sect also has a secret transmission of the Dao Ancestor."

Although the Taibai Sword Sect was not yet a major sect, it was considered a first-class sect under the major sects. From Shuangcheng's perspective, the minor sects of the Central Continent were not always something to look up to. However, it was good to know more sects and know some anecdotes and stories, so she listened silently. These minor sects had already gathered their people and had been waiting for a long time, throwing themselves inside in an endless stream. True Person Liu said, "Looking at these sects before and after, they should be going to the same boat room. They probably worship the same Grotto-Heaven True Person."

It was a common occurrence for a Grotto-Heaven True Person to have several minor sects under their protection. Many minor sects would also worship a Nascent Soul True Person of a major sect as a backer. Hundreds of sects had come from the Central Continent. Everyone was talking at once, guessing which major sect these minor sects respected, and analyzing the gains and losses behind the conflicts of the major sects of the Central Continent. Without realizing it, a few days had passed. Shuangcheng had already rested several times. Getting up this day, she saw that there was no one at the altar entrance and asked curiously, "What, could it be that everyone has already gone up while I was asleep?"

"The minor sect cultivators have all left. Now it is the turn of the major sects to leave," Shopkeeper Wen stroked his beard and said slowly. "They left all night last night, and it only finished this morning. Only now is there no one."

Shuangcheng smiled and said, "The major sects have such big airs, and they are not afraid of missing the time—ah, I know. It must be because the later they leave, the higher their status appears. They are stubborn with each other, so none of them are going over."

Shopkeeper Wen shook his head and said, "How could the disciples of a major sect engage in such a battle of wits? The reason no one is moving right now is because their magic power is different. Even if they are both Nascent Soul, the magic power of the major sect disciples is purer and deeper. They are probably waiting for the Grotto-Heaven inside to be arranged properly, for the restrictions to be redrawn, and for space to be left for these major sect disciples before they can enter. Otherwise, if the magic power is unevenly distributed, it is very easy to damage the Grotto-Heaven, and it is very troublesome to repair."

Although Shopkeeper Wen's cultivation was average, he was knowledgeable and truly had many anecdotes that Shuangcheng and the others did not know. Even Elder Lu listened and sighed, "Although they are all cultivators, the distance between them cannot be measured in miles. If it weren't for the birth of the Divine Sword, these major sects would never have come to South Zhuzhou to accept disciples."

As he was speaking, Dong Shuangcheng said, "Ah, a group of bald heads, it must be Wanyou Temple! Didn't they just accept a Divine Sword seed?"

Sure enough, amidst the commotion of the crowd, a group of monks flew out from the floating pavilion. The abbot at the head stepped on golden light, connecting the group into one piece. Apart from this, nothing unusual could be seen. The movement was not even as good as the minor sect cultivators who had shown their magical powers before. However, Shopkeeper Wen gasped and whispered, "The Shell Leaf Zen Scripture. I didn't expect Wanyou Temple to actually bring it."

Elder Lu scolded lightly, "What bald heads? Shuangcheng, you must be careful that disaster comes from your mouth—Old Wen, what is this Shell Leaf Zen Scripture—"

Shopkeeper Wen sighed in admiration before saying, "The Shell Leaf Zen Scripture is the Grotto-Heaven spiritual treasure of Wanyou Temple. I suppose if it weren't to protect the fated disciple and prevent anything untoward, it wouldn't be revealed in public. Look at the scripture-holding novice beside that Arhat; I'm afraid that is the flesh and blood of the Ruan family."

Everyone looked closely and indeed saw a young novice who had not yet been ordained beside the abbot. His figure was thin, and he was wearing a linen monk's robe, holding a withered yellow banana leaf in his hand. When they wanted to look closely at his appearance, they only remembered that he was handsome, as if he were ill, and could not remember a single detail.

Amidst the whispers, the monks chanted a Buddhist mantra and disappeared into the Grotto-Heaven. True Person Liu said, "Although Wanyou Temple is famous, it keeps a low profile. In the Battle of the Lu Kingdom, it seems that only Wanyou Temple and the Xuanpo Sect did not participate, while the other major sects all took action."

Shopkeeper Wen had just said, "This sect is a secret transmission of the Buddha, so it is naturally different," when he heard a great uproar above and below Altar City. Everyone was pointing in the direction of the magic boat. Everyone hurriedly looked back, only to see a vast expanse of insect shadows flying over from afar, dyeing half the sky red. Under the insect cloud, a white jade palanquin floated in the air, and many beautiful clothes and shirts were fluttering back and forth empty. When they arrived in front of Altar City, these little insects suddenly gathered into a ball, drilled into the clothes, piled up, and squeezed together, turning into beautiful strong men and women with joyful faces, supporting the palanquin and flying toward the altar entrance. Although they looked like humans, if one looked closely, one could still see the insects wriggling under their skin.

"This is Young Master Yue, the young sect master of the Xuanpo Sect..." Shopkeeper Wen muttered, "These blood-line gold insects... were they all bred in South Zhuzhou over these three years?"

The door of the palanquin was tightly closed, and Young Master Yue did not even show his face, but it made everyone's legs tremble. Someone on a nearby magic treasure asked with a trembling voice, "With so many gold insects, if they were released, could they eat all the people of a country?"

He feared the power before him, but what Shuangcheng thought of was the future. She said, "Young Master Yue... did Young Master Yue take all the insects away? If one or two leaked out, what should be done?"

Even Yan Huan Changyuan, who had been staring silently, couldn't help but twitch his eyebrows. True Person Liu said, "Don't think too much about these things. South Zhuzhou also has insect cultivators and Grotto-Heaven Ancestors. Can't they handle a few insects?"

Everyone felt relieved and just watched the palanquin fly into the Grotto-Heaven. Unexpectedly, when the palanquin reached the light gate at the entrance, it could not fly in. The giant turtle turned its head and hissed, looking very dissatisfied. Shuangcheng said, "Strange, does the Heavenly Boat not like insects?"

Among the many floating boats and pavilions in the sky, there were many knowledgeable people. I don't know who was used to raising spiritual beasts, but he said, "The Heavenly Boat is saying, 'You brought more things than when you came.'"

Bringing more things than when they came naturally meant they had eaten the precious materials of South Zhuzhou or even mortals to breed. Everyone was clear about this in their hearts and remained silent. They lost their mood for gossip and instead felt an indescribable sense of humiliation.

A chuckle came from the palanquin. A hand like white jade stretched out from the window, scattering a handful of jade sand. There were dots of starlight in the sand. The giant turtle opened its mouth and sucked all the jade sand in. After chewing for a while, it turned its head back and opened the cover. The followers giggled and said, "This big turtle, one day, I will also taste your flavor."

While speaking, the palanquin had disappeared into the cave. Shopkeeper Wen whispered, "When the Heavenly Boat docked three years ago, the Lord of the Dharma Treasury wiped out all the gold insects. I don't know how long it took for these insects to breed. In three years, could they have produced so many that the Heavenly Boat had to charge extra passage fees and refused to let Young Master Yue get away with it?"

Elder Lu asked in surprise, "Old Wen, are you saying that Young Master Yue had already arrived in South Zhuzhou before the Heavenly Boat docked?"

Shopkeeper Wen shook his head and said nothing. Elder Lu did not dare to say anything more. Shuangcheng, however, disagreed and thought, "If Young Master Yue could arrive in South Zhuzhou before the Heavenly Boat docked, then he would also have a way to return quietly from South Zhuzhou. Why make such a big show, as if he were doing it for others to see?"

The Demon Sect was famous, and even in their gestures, there was a sense of ominousness. However, the cultivators did not dare to discuss it and only watched the palanquin disappear into the long scroll. On the long scroll, another pavilion lit up. On the long scroll, more than half of the paintings were already shining with faint light. Shuangcheng counted with her fingers, and those many minor sects only occupied half the space. The remaining pavilions were all prepared for the major sects.

Seeing that the time was almost up, the remaining major sects no longer hesitated. The people of the Guiyi Sect also entered the Grotto-Heaven riding their magic treasures. Most of these major sects disdained to show off their strength. If it weren't for the reasons of Wanyou Temple and the Xuanpo Sect, most of them were much simpler than the minor sects.

After the Guiyi Sect entered, a black light flashed at the altar entrance. Tai Tai Shi Yi did not know where he came from, raised his head, and entered proudly. The giant turtle's feet sank slightly. He was only one person, but he occupied two pavilions, and the space he occupied was almost equivalent to the Guiyi Sect.

"It seems that the rumor that this person is infinitely close to the Grotto-Heaven is indeed true." True Person Liu thought to himself, "Now there are only the Liuming Hall and the Profound Heaven Sect left. Liuming Hall seems to have accepted the Crown Prince of the Song Kingdom. I don't know if the Donghua Sword is on this Crown Prince."

Just as he was thinking, a bright light shone on the north side of Altar City. The cultivators of Liuming Hall crossed Altar City in a colorful light and flew down. The female cultivator at the head had mountains and rivers painted on her skirt, the sun and moon raised on her sleeves, and a hundred-foot-long silk ribbon fluttering behind her. A maid held the remaining ribbon, and her style was extraordinary, truly having the momentum of ruling the world. She held a purple-clothed youth in her hand and did not cover his face. Everyone saw the Crown Prince of the Song Kingdom clearly. Elder Lu said softly, "The Song Emperor uses the country as his surname. I don't know what the name of this Song Crown Prince is."

True Person Liu smiled and said, "A person's name, a tree's shadow. Before reaching the Nascent Soul stage, who would spread their name everywhere? Besides, he is going to the Central Continent. The cultivators of the Central Continent all hold the Pure Mouth Mantra on weekdays and are very taboo about names. At this time, I am afraid that they have already hidden their real names."

Someone next to them discussed again, "The Song Crown Prince is indeed elegant, but he doesn't look like the Donghua Sword Envoy. We have all seen that Ruan girl from the Profound Heaven Sect. Among these many disciples, it seems that none of them look like they are wearing the Donghua Sword. Could it be that the Donghua Sword Envoy was not accepted by the Central Continent?"

"Whether it is or not, just wait for the Heavenly Boat to depart and look at the Heavenly Star Treasure Map. I am thinking, these many major sects all brought four or five Nascent Soul True Persons, but the Profound Heaven Sect seems to have only brought True Person Chen. Why is the Profound Heaven Sect the last one to board the boat?"

Speaking of the Donghua Sword, Yan Huan Changyuan's expression changed, showing a listening look. But hearing everyone talk about the trivial matters of boarding order, he lowered his head and closed his eyes to rest. Only Dong Shuangcheng listened with great interest and asked Shopkeeper Wen, "Yes, Old Wen, why?"

Shopkeeper Wen smiled and said, "What is there to ask? Truly a country bumpkin. Not to mention that the Profound Heaven Sect brought two Grotto-Heaven spiritual treasures, even if they didn't bring a single spiritual treasure and not a single Nascent Soul True Person had arrived, they would still be the last one. Among the major sects of the Central Continent, the Three Pillars of the Sky are the most prominent. The Taiwei Gate, the Profound Heaven Sect, and the Qingling Gate. The other two sects did not come this time, so the Profound Heaven Sect naturally takes the lead and sits firmly in the first place."

He was knowledgeable, and everyone was convinced. The people on the nearby boat also stopped talking and listened carefully, asking for advice, "Then please tell us, is this Donghua Sword a divine object that hides itself, waiting for the fated person in South Zhuzhou, or has it been obtained and refined by the Sword Envoy and is about to be taken back to the Central Continent?"

Shopkeeper Wen waved his hands repeatedly, "Old man, I dare not talk about the whereabouts of this green sword. If I say something wrong and bring disaster upon myself, why bother?"

Seeing him show cowardice, some busybodies couldn't help but mock him. Someone else showed off their knowledge and said loudly, "You don't know, this Donghua Sword has only changed hands for less than six years. Even the most elegant Sword Envoy has no way to refine it in six years—"

Before he finished speaking, he heard a chime. The middle gate of Junping Prefecture opened wide. True Person Chen, in a green shirt, walked in front. Behind him, Xu Xu Shaowei and Zhou Zhou Yanqing held the chime and the boat on the left and right. The remaining disciples lined up and walked forward. Beautiful women and strong men followed Junping Prefecture. Auspicious clouds and red mist surrounded them, a magnificent and prosperous scene. The cultivators were all stunned and sighed one after another, "This is the style of a great sect of the Zhou Tian."

"Ah, that girl in the lead is the Ruan girl who was accepted into the sect, right?"

Everyone hurriedly looked closely and indeed saw two rows of new disciples lined up on the left and right behind the Golden Core cultivator. They were all in the Opening Pulse and Qi Condensation stages. One person led the team in the middle, with a slender figure and a white veil covering her face. Her bearing was extraordinary. It was the Ruan girl who had been fought over by many major sects that day and had almost shattered the Lu Kingdom.

"These many major sects all carefully protect their disciples. Only the Profound Heaven Sect is arrogant, letting her walk alone at the back."

"Isn't it because the other sects have all left? Besides, didn't all the sects see it that day? The Ruan girl was a mistake, and she didn't have the Donghua Sword on her..."

Shuangcheng was also very curious about this Ruan girl and used all her strength to look over. Although the magic boat was far away, cultivators had opened their eyes, and such a distance was nothing. However, she could not see through the Ruan girl's veil, so she paid attention to the followers—she was so active, and she also had a thought in her heart, which was to find Xiao Ci among the passengers of the Heavenly Boat, know which sect she was working for, and if there was a chance in the future, it would be good to visit her.

It was just that the major sect cultivators were one thing, but the minor sect cultivators were numerous and walked densely, so she couldn't see them all. Shuangcheng still hadn't found Xiao Ci at this moment and was a little discouraged. Her eyes swept over the Profound Heaven Sect disciples. Just as she was about to sit back on the deck, she suddenly jumped up and shouted, "Xiao Ci! Isn't that Xiao Ci!"

Looking closely, sure enough, among the two rows of young disciples, there was a young girl wearing a Daoist robe, her hands tucked in her sleeves, walking slowly with her fellow disciples. Her side profile was like jade. It was indeed Ruan Ci. Dong Shuangcheng was overjoyed, but then she realized something was wrong and thought, "Wait, Xiao Ci was accepted into the Profound Heaven Sect as a disciple, not a servant?"

Why hide such a good thing from everyone? Shuangcheng was also puzzled in her heart, but seeing Ruan Ci's trail moving further away and about to board the altar entrance, in her anxiety, she couldn't help but jump up and shout, "Xiao Ci! Xiao Ci! Can you hear me? Xiao Ci—"

Elder Lu couldn't stop her. Seeing Ruan Ci, he was also extremely surprised. Yan Huan Changyuan suddenly raised his head, his eyes like electricity, piercing into the distance. True Person Liu also used all his strength to look at Ruan Ci.

Dong Shuangcheng was still jumping non-stop, but the two sides were far apart, separated by the clouds, and her voice could no longer reach Ruan Ci's ears. Instead, it attracted everyone's side glances. Someone couldn't help but smile, "Hey, you country bumpkins, do you also know people from the Profound Heaven Sect?"

More than just knowing? That Profound Heaven Sect disciple had once worked under the old shopkeeper and was almost accepted as a sword servant by Yan Huan Changyuan! Who could have thought that three years later, she would be walking on auspicious clouds and had already been accepted into the major sect of the Langhuan Heaven? The strangeness of the world's encounters was nothing more than this. Now that Xiao Ci had such an identity, how could the two little disciples of the Taibai Sword Sect compare to her?

With their status, even if they didn't know which one Xiao Ci was in the Profound Heaven Sect, everyone couldn't help but mock them, saying one after another, "Even a servant of the Profound Heaven Sect is not someone you or I can easily get to know. You should have some sense!"

In Shuangcheng's heart, she couldn't tell if she was happy for Xiao Ci or had some unspeakable disappointment. Just as she was stunned, she saw the young girl in the clouds look back, her eyes cast over. The two people's eyes met in mid-air. Xiao Ci frowned slightly, shook her head, pressed her slender finger to her lips, told her to be quiet, smiled, waved at Shuangcheng, and then turned her head to walk forward solemnly.

Among the floating boats in the sky, the mocking laughter gradually quieted down. Shopkeeper Wen pulled Shuangcheng's sleeve and smiled, "Xiao Ci is making an appointment to see you again. No need to shout anymore, she heard you."

Dong Shuangcheng looked at Shopkeeper Wen, her jumping and waving stopped, and she stood stunned on the bow of the boat, watching the Profound Heaven Sect group drift away, board the altar entrance, and disappear into the Grotto-Heaven. The long scroll shone brightly, and the unfilled pavilions lit up at the same time. The Profound Heaven Sect had only one Nascent Soul, but it occupied a third of the long scroll. The momentum of supporting the sky had reached this point!

"But... but how could she..."

Once the long scroll pavilions were full, the spiritual light flickered in the fluttering, and only the sound of 'humming' could be heard, which was endless. The space above Altar City seemed to twist and vibrate with it. The Heavenly Boat hissed at the sky, and the long scroll rolled and closed, falling onto the giant turtle's back. The cultivators hurriedly focused their minds to realize the various wonderful changes. Only Shuangcheng was out of her mind, and the more she thought about it, the more wrong it felt. "How could she be accepted into the Profound Heaven Sect, and say she was a servant... wait, what was her surname?"

The various wrong things before gradually flowed through her heart. "Sword servant? Why did I just think she was originally going to be accepted as a sword servant by Senior Brother Changyuan? Xiao Ci's aptitude is so good, naturally she should be accepted as my junior brother or sister. Ah, no, when we first met, she, wasn't she a mortal—"

She was originally intelligent and flexible. At this time, the more she thought, the more panicked she became. An incredible idea slowly floated to her heart. "Why did I feel close to Xiao Ci as soon as I saw her, and didn't care about the difference between immortals and mortals, just wanted to make friends with her... I heard that our sword cultivators have special convenience in finding sword seeds. Could it be, could it be..."

When she turned to look at her elders, she saw that Uncle-Master Liu and Uncle-Master Lu were both nodding at her without saying a word. Even Yan Huan Changyuan had his surprise gradually fade, and he gradually revealed realization. Obviously, although this senior brother of hers was taciturn and only had the sword Dao in his heart, he was therefore more intelligent and transparent, and more introverted than her.

Shuangcheng was lost, stood for a long time, and thought that Ruan Ci, with the dignity of the Donghua Sword Envoy, humbled herself in a shop, and now she was very low-key under the Profound Heaven Sect. She couldn't help but feel unfair for her, but she also saw the big picture and understood the situation of the Donghua Sword Envoy. I am afraid it was not as glorious as everyone advertised.

In the past, when she thought of the Donghua Sword Envoy, she always envied that person for being able to control the Divine Sword at a young age. Now that she knew it was Xiao Ci she knew, it was as if the Sword Envoy had a human touch, but she no longer envied her, but couldn't help but worry, thinking, "She is a little girl, only ten years old, and she has to leave her hometown and go to the Central Continent. Maybe she will never come back in her life. When she gets there, who else can help her?"

There were still thousands of questions in her heart that were not solved. Shuangcheng stood for a long time and finally sighed softly, "She made an appointment to see me again, can we really see each other again?"

Elder Lu patted her on the shoulder and said meaningfully, "Since she made an appointment to see you again, you will definitely be able to see each other again."

Exchanging a look with Elder Liu, the two understood each other: originally, the sect was dedicated to cultivating Yan Huan Changyuan, but since the Sword Envoy looked at Dong Shuangcheng differently, then in the future, many things would be different.

Dong Shuangcheng looked at the two uncles, realized something, and couldn't help but look at her senior brother. Yan Huan Changyuan's eyes were like a bright mirror, reflecting everyone's demeanor, but he was unmoved, only looking up at the altar entrance. The Grotto-Heaven long scroll had melted into the ancient patterns on the back of the Heavenly Boat. The giant turtle hissed at the sky and slowly stood up. Someone shouted, "The Heavenly Boat is setting sail—"

#

"It's setting sail!"

Inside the Grotto-Heaven long scroll, it was a world of its own, with ten thousand feet of cliffs, cold springs, earth fire rolling, and giant waves. The Profound Heaven Sect lived on a high cliff in a sea of clouds, and the disciples each lived on a peak. Lin Ji personally tidied up the house for Chen Jun and brought spiritual tea, smiling, "My lord has worked hard this time, drink a cup of tea."

As she spoke, she knelt and sat on the footstool, took a jade hammer to beat Chen Jun's legs. Chen Jun took a sip of tea, half-squinting his eyes as if wandering outside the world. After a while, he let out a long breath and asked, "Is everything settled?"

Lin Ji said, "The maid has settled Miss Ci and Wang Panpan on the peak far away. Except for the lord and the maid, everyone thinks that no one lives there. Miss Xu Shaowei lost face before, and after the Lord of the Dharma Treasury punished her, the injury was difficult to heal. Recently, she has been closed-door and has fallen asleep. Young Master Qing is also sensible. As for the little disciples, they cannot fly, so they cannot run around."

Chen Jun nodded slightly and said, "You have always handled things properly."

He asked again, "How have you seen her these past few years?"

This question was headless and tailless, but Lin Ji understood and said softly, "I see Miss Ci is intelligent and gentle, very considerate of servants, and is a good girl."

"You are just perfunctory with me." Chen Jun said unhappily, "A good girl? Humph, why don't you say that she killed the incarnation of Yun Zihua as soon as they met?"

Lin Ji said softly, "Miss Ci didn't know the truth, so it's not her fault."

Chen Jun shook his head and said, "The Heavenly Chessboard only sees the truth. What is seen must be the true nature of the player. That Ruan Ci has had a bumpy life since she was a child and always has to look at people's faces. I am afraid she doesn't even know what she looks like, but the Heavenly Chessboard will never lie again. Over the years, she is the only player who destroyed the chessboard. Even Sister Xie Sister Xie Yan Yan Huan only defeated the white pieces miserably back then. The weight of the killing tribulation of this woman in the future is I am afraid even greater than Senior Sister Sister Xie."

Lin Ji pondered Chen Jun's complexion and said slowly, "True Person Sister Xie waited for her in South Zhuzhou for seven hundred years, so she must have her own arrangements. The lord has encountered this by fate. Since you have come, you might as well be at peace. Miss Ci is indeed less talented—"

"Less talented?" Chen Jun interrupted Lin Ji and sneered, "Do you know how long it took her to refine the Donghua Sword?"

Lin Ji shook her head, "I only know that True Person Sister Xie closed-door for five years after getting the sword... ah!"

"Have you figured it out?"

Chen Jun stood up, walked to the window, gazed at the boundless sea of clouds, and said coldly, "Even Sister Xie Sister Xie Yan Yan Huan was already a Golden Core when she got the sword, and it took her five years to refine it. But she, a mortal body, worked as a laborer in Altar City for two years without revealing the trace of the green sword—it only took a few months to refine the Donghua Sword to be as she wished. This woman is favored by the Green Lord. Counting from the ancient sword shattering to the present, I am afraid there are only a few among the sword envoys. Her nature is so fierce and stubborn. I really don't know what kind of storm she will cause in the future. You let me come, so be at peace? Humph, if I get involved, I am afraid there will be no bones left, so how can I talk about refining the Dao and longevity?"

Lin Ji had never thought of this point before, and now she couldn't help but be speechless. She held the spiritual tea and stood for a long time before walking to Chen Jun's side, offering the tea cup, and saying softly, "The maid is ignorant, please forgive me, my lord. The maid only knows that this road to cultivation is like sailing against the current. The more profound the cultivation, the more difficult it is to advance. How many Nascent Soul high cultivators, when breaking through the realm, just because of a thought, a thousand years of cultivation vanished, and disappeared in a night. But even so, which high cultivator is not going against the difficulty? The lord has experienced thousands of dangers from Qi Refining to the present, and has never been timid. Now making such remarks is nothing more than that your mind is not decided, so you are alarmist and knocking the maid."

Chen Jun glanced at her, a smile appeared on his lips, took the tea cup, and gently stirred the tea. Lin Ji said again, "My lord, icing on the cake is not as good as sending charcoal in the snow. Now the sword envoy's status is low and her knowledge is shallow, only protected by a spiritual cat, and there are undercurrents in the sect. At this time, one point of kindness is better than ten points in the future. You don't believe Miss Ci, but you should believe in True Person Sister Xie's vision."

She mentioned Sister Xie Sister Xie Yan Yan Huan, and Chen Jun's eyes became deep for a while. The sea of clouds outside the window seemed to sense his thoughts. Between rolling, there was faintly a figure drinking wine with a sword, hanging sleeves and lecturing. Chen Jun watched for a long time, waved his sleeves, smoothed the sea of clouds, looked at the peak in the distance, and whispered, "This matter is too important, and it is still too early. After returning to the sect, see who the sect master sends her to, and then talk."

Lin Ji wanted to persuade again, her expression moved, looked outside the sky, and whispered, "The Heavenly Boat has moved, it's about to set sail—leaving South Zhuzhou this time, Miss Ci must be very reluctant."

#

"The Heavenly Boat has moved!"

Chen Jun looked at the peak from afar, but Ruan Ci sat in the room, looking at a crystal round mirror given to her by Lin Ji. This round mirror was like a window, reflecting the scene at the entrance of Altar City, as if they were looking out from the belly of the giant turtle. She saw the floating boats in the mirror scattering one after another, as if to avoid something, and Altar City was slowly getting smaller. She couldn't help but say to Wang Wang Panpan, "Is it about to tear the space?"

Wang Wang Panpan was curled up on an embroidered stool. At this time, she stood up, arched her back, stretched, and looked like she had seen the world. She said lazily, "Almost. Look a few more times. I don't know when I will see it next time."

Ruan Ci responded, used all her strength, and found the one with Dong Shuangcheng and Shopkeeper Wen among the many floating boats. Seeing them gradually calm down and drive the boat away, Dong Shuangcheng even turned back and waved at the giant turtle. She couldn't help but smile slightly at the mirror. Wang Wang Panpan opened one eye and glanced at her, saying, "Your mood is not bad."

Ruan Ci touched her face and said, "I can't always cry with a sad face, right?"

Wang Wang Panpan snorted and said, "Why are you hiding it from me? I won't laugh at you—you were originally a little reluctant to leave South Zhuzhou, but you were happy when you saw Young Master Yue. Your official's ears are very soft. He listened to your words, took back all the blood-line gold insects, and paid a lot of extra passage fees because of it. You found such an official, what is wrong with being happy?"

Ruan Ci smiled, "I didn't not appreciate it, why are you busy speaking well for him?"

Because she mentioned Qu Tan Yue, she couldn't help but be thoughtful, pillowing her hands on the table, looking at the round mirror, and asking Wang Wang Panpan, "Wang Panpan, you say that when these Nascent Soul cultivators fight, which one is not earth-shattering, as if they are going to fight for a year and a half... and what spiritual energy storm, what spatial instability... in the end, no one died. Why is this?"

Wang Wang Panpan laughed, "Otherwise, what do you think a Nascent Soul cultivator fight should look like?"

"I saw Senior Sister Sister Xie at that time, didn't she just use one palm to kill that Liu Yin, clean and neat, where is there any spiritual energy leakage?"

"There was some at that time, you just couldn't feel it. Besides, how can you compare Sister Xie Sister Xie Yan Yan Huan with those people? She killed Liu Yin, just like slaughtering a chicken or a dog, of course there is no such big movement." Wang Wang Panpan said, "Otherwise, why do you think everyone is so afraid of her? You don't know at all where Nascent Soul cultivators are powerful now. Nascent Soul fighting, it is good to have results in a year or a half. Nascent Soul cultivators have countless incarnations, and some are like Sister Xie Sister Xie Yan Yan Huan, who can be reborn from a drop of water. Where is it so easy to kill? You have to be like Sister Xie Sister Xie Yan Yan Huan, who can bind cause and effect, to kill with one palm. Humph, at that time you were by Sister Xie Sister Xie Yan Yan Huan's side, but you didn't know how powerful she was at all. Even now, you can only vaguely realize some, and you have to wait until you reach the Nascent Soul realm in the future to know how great her magical powers are."

Ruan Ci said, "You are right... at that time I saw Senior Sister Sister Xie kill so easily, and I thought in my heart, cultivators are just able to fly, and fighting seems to be about the same as martial arts masters. It is because I have seen more these days that I know I have no vision and can't see Senior Sister Sister Xie's power."

"I hated the three sects very much before, but it has slowly gotten better in these few years. Sometimes I think, it is thanks to that grand array that separated the Song Kingdom from the other sects. Otherwise, the Song Kingdom today might be the end of the Lu Kingdom."

She propped up her chin, looked at Altar City, which was gradually getting smaller in the round mirror, and said softly, "There are many things, when I knew nothing, it looked like one thing, and when I knew more, looking back, it was another thing."

"I have many doubts in my heart, and many people have told me a lot. I know that what they said is not all true..."

Wang Wang Panpan suddenly raised her head and looked at Ruan Ci through the crystal round mirror. Ruan Ci's eyes were bright, staring at Wang Wang Panpan's yellow cat eyes, and also looking at the hometown mountains and rivers that were getting smaller and further away in the mirror, calmly saying, "In the future, I will return here and use my own eyes to find my own answers."

Wang Wang Panpan's cat eyes shrank into a line. She looked at Ruan Ci for a while, licked the tip of her nose, stood up, changed her posture, and went to sleep again. Ruan Ci smiled slightly, no longer forcing Wang Wang Panpan, turned her head to look at the sea of clouds. In the sea of clouds, many figures were born and annihilated, middle-aged men holding children, cold-faced noble ladies taking out purses from their bosoms and handing them to young girls, little maids boiling spiritual jade by urging talisman power, children running and walking in the corridors—

In the room, the scene in the round mirror changed, turning into pure black. The Heavenly Boat hissed loudly, its limbs paddling, leaving frames of afterimages in the air, tearing a big mouth from the blue sky. A strong wind suddenly rose at the entrance of Altar City, and many star dusts blew in from the entrance, dots of stars, attracting many cultivators to play in the wind and chase and capture. The giant turtle ignored the excitement behind it, swung its giant tail, almost smashing the altar entrance, and finally drilled into the dark spatial crack.

Inside the Dao Palace of Altar City, a treasure map lit up. The guarding cultivator ran out of the hall and shouted, "Report to the Palace Master, the Heavenly Boat has departed—"

I saw that in the treasure map, the spiritual light of the continents was full, and many rare treasures appeared in the continents. Above South Zhuzhou, there were originally spiritual swords, spiritual toads, and spiritual turtles squatting. At this time, the spiritual turtle turned to the north, and the light of the spiritual sword also slowly dissipated. The cultivator shouted loudly, "The Heavenly Boat has departed—the green sword is following—"

"South Zhuzhou finally enjoys peace—"

"Yes..." Deep in Altar City, Shopkeeper Wen stopped his work and sighed softly, "Seven hundred and six years, South Zhuzhou finally has peace..."

He sighed, continued to pack his bags, and prepared to travel far.

※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※※

The word count of this chapter is really quite a lot~ It's not too much to ask for a comment, right? QAQ

It is also a confession and conclusion for the many characters in the first volume. When arriving at the Central Continent, everything will be a new beginning, and Ruan Ci's understanding of the world will become more and more rich~

At noon, I still ordered takeout, river shrimp and pork chop noodles. I am also very strange whether such a combination can be delicious, but this noodle shop is a well-known noodle shop nearby. I have never been there to eat, so I am quite curious.

Ah, I can't read "Kingdom Bloodline" at all. For me, this book has a point, that is, it writes about very real and full human nature, but it mixes a lot of Japanese light novel style in it. I am very uncomfortable with this. I think this book should be considered Japanese Western fantasy. Regretfully gave up. I feel that the addiction to reading has begun to decline recently, and I guess I will start writing updates fiercely again.

. Thanks to the little angels who voted for me or irrigated nutrient solution between 2020-07-21 12:00:03 and 2020-07-22 12:00:37~

Thanks to the little angels who voted for the rocket launcher: Guo Guo Guo Zi, Wan Tang 1 each;

Thanks to the little angel who voted for the hand grenade: Yu Yu Wan Yao 1;

Thanks to the little angels who voted for the landmine: Li Xianxian, De Lizhi who had her account stolen, Time's Delusion, truedfy, 38145469, Yun Shui Shui 1 each;

Thanks to the little angels who irrigated the nutrient solution: Huo Qi Xiao Ran, Fan Jian, Zhuo Zhuo Yao Hua, Ting Ting Ru Yi 10 bottles; Chang Xi, Ming Ji 5 bottles; Lu Fei, xiaoxiao 3 bottles; Dao Chun Han, Wa Wa Wang Wang, Kuang Xiao Er Wang, You Wu 1 bottle;

Thank you very much for your support, I will continue to work hard!