Chapter 21

The central pavilion on the island in the Fairy Maiden Pool is Gan Tian's residence; her daily quarters are this five-story tower on the island mountain. Since space is ample, the third floor is fully opened, serving only as a living room—though for aesthetics there are partitions, they are merely curtains.

Moreover, the windows are large and open on all four sides; with bamboo blinds and window screens rolled up during the day, it feels even more spacious.

Ordinary households couldn't manage this; though it looks lovely and ethereal, the living experience would be poor—letting moisture invade such a damp place would likely shorten one's life! But immortals' dwellings need not worry; immortals have their own methods.

Anyway, Gan Tian has never felt uncomfortable living there since she grew up.

Unlike the usual neat and pretty, today's living room is a bit messy. Many chests are open, and Xiao Bai and Zi Xia direct the maids to rummage through them.

"Yes, yes, yes—first take these out... that one must be brought, of course! Otherwise, how will the lady sleep when she goes to Clear Void Heaven?"

In two days, Gan Tian will go to Clear Void Heaven, and the family is busy arranging her luggage.

"Why go through all this trouble? I'm going to cultivate, not to enjoy." Gan Tian really wanted to dispel Xiao Bai and the others' excessive worry, reminding them that Clear Void Heaven is one of the top prestigious immortal abodes in the cultivation world, not a place to suffer hardship, so there's no need to bring everything!

"I'm not that spoiled either! A few days ago I went out alone, enduring travel fatigue, eating whatever ordinary people eat..." Gan Tian felt she was easy to provide for, but this couldn't dispel the worries of those around her.

Actually, if Gan Tian weren't required to take Clear Void Heaven's Netherworld Boat like ordinary students, they could truly move her whole household there... the Netherworld Boat has space for disciples' belongings, but luggage is regulated—this is to prevent some aristocratic disciples from making their special treatment too obvious.

Aristocratic disciples' special treatment is actually unavoidable; it stems from ancestral accumulation, an innate advantage. Non-aristocratic disciples, through effort, can have their children enjoy the same—provided they have offspring, which is hard for cultivators.

But overall, the immortal abode seeks to suppress special treatment, because while it cannot be avoided, if the abode does nothing—or even actively encourages it—many problems arise. This is like wealth disparity within a nation being inevitable, yet the state strives to restrain and avoid it.

Regardless, an attitude must be expressed; this is a matter of guiding values.

Don't think this is futile; letting things take their course would be the real disaster—the cultivation world actually has no notion of universal equality, and this approach comes from having suffered many losses.

Cultivators are not only not stupid; due to widespread education, they are generally far smarter than ordinary people today. Even though they often look down on ordinary folk from their high positions, that doesn't mean they won't learn lessons, and they will repeatedly suffer from the same problems.

During their training in the immortal abode, cultivators try to avoid special treatment as much as possible; this is part of the immortal world's effort to prevent lineage-based division. Yet it is not to be underestimated, for one's worldview is formed in youth—a crucial period!

No extra luggage is allowed, and like many other great immortal abodes, Clear Void Heaven's barrier is formidable; in principle, frequent entry and exit are prohibited except on the first day of school. Even that day's heavy traffic is restricted to the Netherworld Boat... this may be a legacy of the ancient war.

In the ancient war, there were records of attacks on immortal abodes; the abodes' disciples lacked experience, so facing an attack meant being slaughtered. And there are many disciples inside the abode, constituting the cultivation world's fighting force—such attacks could directly cause a break in that force.

After learning from pain, the major immortal abodes established very tight protection. Although the immortal world is now peaceful and stable, tradition works this way: once formed, it can persist without needing a reason.

But this hurts Xiao Bai and the others; the luggage they originally planned is definitely not allowed. Since items that can't go on the Netherworld Boat cannot be sent later to Clear Void Heaven either, they must hastily trim their luggage.

Actually, the luggage limit isn't that strict: each person may bring up to five boxes, and the standard box size is enough to hold two Gan Tians. With that much space, if only necessities are packed, it's more than enough!

But Xiao Bai and the others evidently think everything is 'necessary,' just like all young people packing a suitcase for the first time—everything seems needed. Only after actually traveling do they realize some things might never occur to them to bring.

But no matter what, they eventually have to make cuts; when the day to board the Netherworld Boat arrives, the luggage is packed.

"Why can't I come with you? If I don't go, who will attend to the lady's life..." Xiao Bai kept muttering.

"You can't go..." Gan Tian could only explain to her: "In the past, disciples' families entered the abode under the pretense of attending to them, and that caused disasters! So it was forbidden. There, some people are used, arranged by the abode; we cultivator disciples don't need to do anything outside cultivation."

It is said some immortal abodes allow disciples to bring their own servants, but Qingxu Heaven forbids it. Moreover, Qingxu Heaven isn't interested in training disciples in life skills; it simply thinks this helps management and avoids many hidden risks. Also, it prevents some cultivator disciples from seeking special treatment.

As for Qingxu Heaven having many servants providing various services to disciples... the abode evidently doesn't see disciples scoring high but lacking ability as a problem; after all, there are plenty of people who can handle those everyday chores.

No matter how many people around are dissatisfied, the immortal abode must still be attended!

On the day to board the Netherworld Boat, a large ship about twelve or thirteen zhang long was already moored before Tai Ping Lake; its first impression is beautiful! The hull is painted with lovely red-and-yellow patterns, the shape is just right—not too slender, not bloated; of the five large sails, the two outermost are white as clouds, while the three central ones are azure.

This ship is Gan Tian's... a birthday gift from her father when she was ten. This large vessel is not only beautiful; theoretically it can cross any body of water, and no matter how strong the wind and waves, the ship itself will not rock.

Clearly, immortal methods are involved.

The reason for this large ship is simply that back then Gan Tian said she wanted to travel all over the world... so Gan Cheng secretly built the ship, preparing it for her when she grew older—this year's Crystal Palace is the same, also because Gan Tian said she wanted an underwater crystal room. Likely their understandings differed, but anyway the Crystal Palace became portable.

The Crystal Palace can be shrunk and carried on one's person, just like the small boat gifted by Zhu Bajie, though it also possesses other marvels.

Probably the senior immortal women in the family not only referred to Gan Tian's imagined Crystal Palace, but also thought of her offhand mention of the Story of the Pot Immortal.

Speaking of ships, Gan Cheng himself actually has a large vessel, more accurately a fleet—but that would be too ostentatious... sending a child to school really doesn't need that.

Qingxu Heaven occupies the Wei Yu and Chi Cheng caves among the Thirty-Six Grotto-Heavens; its 'school district' covers all of Upper Yangzhou and part of Lower Yangzhou. On the first day of school, there are eight ferries in this area where one can board the Netherworld Boat, and the abode's disciples can choose the nearest.

These matters will be explained by the guides when they hand out the jade tallies.

Yunmeng Ze is in Jingzhou, so it's clearly impossible to have a Qingxu Heaven ferry there; thus Gan Tian must first go to a ferry to wait for the Netherworld Boat. The ferry nearest Yunmeng Ze is at Peng Ze—anyway, it's also on the Yangtze River system, so taking a boat gets you there.

Gan Tian's large ship is not only strong against wind and waves; its speed also surpasses that of ordinary vessels.

In the afternoon the whole family boarded the ship; it didn't stop at night, and when Gan Tian woke the next morning, the vessel was already anchored steadily!

Gan Tian rubbed her eyes, the maids drew back the curtains, and smiling said: "Did you sleep well, miss? Jiang Jun and the lady said that the Netherworld Boat dock at Peng Ze has arrived; after you freshen up, you must hurry there—Jiang Jun and the lady have something to say to you."

Gan Tian looked out the window; outside was a bustling dock scene, just like any busy harbor, with no sign that the Netherworld Boat would moor here—it would connect the mortal world and the immortal realm.

But upon closer look, a hint is still visible; a quick glance showed Gan Tian many people whose demeanor differed from ordinary folks. Moreover, some individuals bore no obvious immortal aura, yet their organizational peculiarities made it clear at a glance they were not ordinary passengers.

These people are organized; they may be members of the same region's Immortal Child organization coming together. Besides their families, officials and the like also accompany them. Their luggage is also substantial—likely each person has filled the five-box quota.

This is not surprising; disciples from ordinary families lack the resources of aristocratic disciples, but once they are confirmed as abode disciples, people naturally 'present gifts.' The givers think simply: when they truly become immortals someday, they hope to receive something in return.

Although cultivators cannot act recklessly under immortal law, even minor assistance given within limits is already tremendous for ordinary mortals! Take the most common divination: a cultivator's divination, no matter how poor, won't go far off; even a vague direction might have far-reaching effects.

Thus, these non-aristocratic abode disciples can also bring quite a lot of luggage.

Gan Cheng and Mi Taiyin were already waiting for Gan Tian; Gan Cheng handed her two small boxes: "Sweetie, this box contains immortal medicines, and this one holds money... In the first year at the immortal abode, you won't need immortal artifacts or treasures, nor herbal medicines and cinnabar, nor the various materials for spellcasting... the first year is just about laying foundations."

Gan Cheng explained: "The first year is about refining qi, guiding qi, and training the meridians; later there will be many occasions when immortal medicines are needed."

Saying this, Gan Cheng took out a small square seal he carried on his person. The seal is not large—just one cun square—and made entirely of wood, though at a glance it's hard to tell what kind of wood.

"It bears the meaning of guarding and stabilizing—'zhen' meaning calm and peace; this is the magical implement Father has used these years while cultivating qi to soothe the spirit and steady the heart." This thing is no longer of much use to Gan Cheng now, but for a Xiuzhen just building foundations it is absolutely the most suitable.

As for that chest of money, there's no need to mention it; even without explanation one knows its use.

Gan Tian was about to disembark; she walked ahead, with the people helping her carry luggage behind her. After getting off the boat she turned back for a glance——Gan Cheng let out an angry "Ang" and grabbed the sleeve of Mi Taiyin beside her.

"My Tian-tian has grown up just like this... really too fast... Father really doesn't want... it would be great if Tian-tian could never grow up!"

Mi Taiyin slowly pulled back her sleeve, her face cold and unfeeling, yet her eyes were red. She stared at Gan Cheng and sneered, "Never grow up? No need to say such hypocritical words—you naturally hope Tian-tian grows up; putting on this act is going too far!".

Gan Cheng fell silent for a moment, then finally restored his usual smile. He did not look at his wife, but gazed at his child's receding figure as she gradually blended into the crowd, his expression calm yet weary: "Taiyin... whether you believe it or not, I truly love Tian-tian, no less than you do.".

The ferry dock at Peng Ze was bustling yet cold—this is the human world at this time, four seasons unchanging without any immortal dwellings.

"Hah." Mi Taiyin merely returned a cold smile, then turned and walked away in the opposite direction without looking back.

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Bonus chapter delivered!