Chapter 25: Why Go to the Feather Ascension Gate Again?

The Magic Ship left Jin Jin Yu Dao Dao.

There was no word the whole way.

Three days later, Chen Zheng came to Ban Yue Fang Shi again.

He docked the Magic Ship at the pier, went ashore, walked through the bustling crowd, and arrived at the Treasure Gathering Hall.

"Ha ha, Young Master Chen, long time no see."

The one receiving Chen Zheng was Xu Guanshi, whose few sparse strands on his head were meticulously combed, his face flushed with red light, looking rather like a man in high spirits at a happy occasion.

In fact, it was just so.

A few days earlier, Liu Suiyun had promoted him to chief manager of the Treasure Gathering Hall, overseeing more than twenty Managers and hundreds of assorted staff.

It was, after all, thanks to Chen Zheng.

It also owed to his own earlier kindness of having Li Qiu and his sibling look after Chen Zheng.

"Young master, rest assured; in a moment I'll send someone to return your family's Magic Ship to Jin Jin Yu Dao Dao. Follow me first; the hall owner has been waiting for a long time."

"Much obliged."

Chen Zheng handed the family Magic Ship token to Xu Guanshi, and amid the latter's warm reception, proceeded to an elegant room on the top floor of the Treasure Gathering Hall.

Xu Guanshi stepped out and closed the door behind him.

"Senior Liu."

Chen Zheng saw the hall master Liu Suiyun again.

He stood by the window with his hands behind his back, gazing outward, his robes fluttering as if ready to ride the wind.

"Little brother Chen, you're here, sit wherever… huh, you've broken through to the Physical Body Ninth Layer?"

Liu Suiyun smiled and turned, about to invite Chen Zheng to sit, but seemed to notice something; a flash of surprise crossed his eyes, and he began to scrutinize Chen Zheng earnestly, the astonishment deepening with each glance.

He recalled that when Chen Zheng signed up for the Demon‑Hunting Corps, his realm was Physical Body Seventh Layer, and later, during the hunt on the Forty‑Nine Islands, he advanced to the Eighth Layer.

After that, Chen Zheng returned to Jin Jin Yu Dao Dao to handle family affairs, and less than seven days have passed since.

Chen Zheng's realm had, astonishingly, risen another level.

Such cultivation speed is terrifying, isn't it?

Liu Suiyun seemed a little dazed.

He recalled that back then he was a rare prodigy within a sea area spanning hundreds of thousands of li.

From the Physical Body Eighth Layer to the Ninth, he took just over two years.

Compared with ordinary people, that time is exceedingly short.

It also made him unable to hide his pride.

But compared with Chen Zheng…

When people compare, it drives one mad.

Chen Zheng clasped his fists and humbly said, "It's thanks to Senior Liu's gift of that jar of Black Water King Snake heart‑blood essence that I awakened the latent blood‑vessel potential within me, allowing me to break through so quickly."

"If Senior Liu could give me a few more jars of that blood, perhaps I could break through again and reach the Rou Shen Di Shi Chong."

Finally, Chen Zheng added another sentence.

"Ahem!"

Hearing Chen Zheng's earlier words, Liu Suiyun felt a surge of satisfaction, thinking silently that the boy's breakthrough was all thanks to him.

But upon hearing the latter part, Liu Suiyun couldn't help a dry cough.

Don't be fooled by the Treasure Gathering Hall's booming business; ninety‑nine percent of its customers are mortals.

Mortal money has little effect on him.

Moreover, he is only a Free Cultivator with modest means.

Fearing Chen Zheng might make another request, he quickly changed the subject, "Little brother Chen, the Feather Ascension Gate fairy gave you three months to undergo the gate's assessment; seven days have already passed, we can't delay any longer—let's depart at once."

He acted with thunderous speed, an invisible force radiating around him, and lifted Chen Zheng off the ground.

With two swift swooshes, the two floated out of the window, one ahead of the other.

"So this is flight."

Chen Zheng, carried by Liu Suiyun through the air, felt the sea breeze on his face; below, building after building rushed away, instantly giving him the illusion of standing above all beings.

No wonder those cultivators seem lofty; being called "immortal" feels justified.

Officials who serve long begin to drift; people who fly long begin to think of themselves as immortals.

Chen Zheng shook his head, dispelling that illusion.

He felt the unseen yet solid force beneath his feet supporting his forward motion, and thought silently, "It seems Senior Liu's cultivation isn't that high either."

A Mortal Secret Realm warrior's spirit is formless and insubstantial, invisible, untouchable, and cannot affect reality.

Only by cultivating to the First Level of Shen Tong Mi Jing, transforming spirit into magical power, can one become formless yet substantial.

And by reaching the Second Level of Shen Tong, the True Essence Realm, converting magical power into True Qi, one gains tangible substance.

Hence it is called "True Qi."

The saying "borrow false cultivation to forge true," "refine the false into the real," attaining "Reality" and "True Self," means exactly this.

Observing Liu Suiyun's magical power, formless yet substantial, it is clearly the First Level of Shen Tong magical power.

Such cultivation, to mortal eyes within the Mortal Secret Realm, appears lofty and is the "immortal" everyone admires.

This novel, you...

Can be placed within the entire cultivation world, yet it is at the bottom.

Correspondingly, low‑tier cultivators have modest fortunes.

Chen Zheng originally hoped to reap some benefit from Liu Suiyun, but it seems he won't.

He is not a greedy person, nor is he disappointed.

Liu Suiyun will remember the favor he did for him, and when his cultivation is higher in the future, returning the favor will not be too late.

Next, Chen Zheng was taken by Liu Suiyun and flew out of the Ban Yue Fang Shi area, soaring at lightning speed over the vast ocean, heading north.

Less than two hours.

A huge island appeared ahead, bustling with people and towering buildings, its lively scene much like Ban Yue Fang Shi.

Chen Zheng knew that the island ahead was called North Spirit Market, also a maritime trading hub specializing in the buying and selling of spirit beasts.

Such small markets are numerous in the Southern Sea region, and the Great Northern Ocean is filled with countless ones.

Liu Suiyun brought Chen Zheng to the North Spirit Market to borrow a spirit beast from the master of the Spirit Beast Pavilion, to send him to the Ascension Gate.

This had been agreed upon by both sides earlier.

As for why Liu Suiyun does not escort him personally,

first, the journey to the Ascension Gate is far, and the round trip takes considerable time.

Second, the spirit beast he borrowed is also a Shen Tong Mi Jing, far faster than he is, which can save Chen Zheng a lot of time.

If Chen Zheng joins the Ascension Gate a day earlier, the day he receives his reward will arrive even sooner.

Swoosh!

The two quickly arrived over the North Spirit Market and descended toward the largest pavilion in the market.

Liu Suiyun swaggered toward the entrance.

The guards at the gate, seeing him descend from the sky, dared not block him, all bowing respectfully and lowering their heads in salute.

Thus, Chen Zheng followed the familiar Liu Suiyun to the courtyard behind the Spirit Beast Pavilion.

Liu Suiyun, apparently well acquainted with the master of the Spirit Beast Pavilion, Qing Ling Daoren, called out before entering, "Qing Ling Daoren, comrade, the Chen junior brother I mentioned last time is going to the Ascension Gate for the assessment; is your Swift Wind Divine Eagle ready?"

Creak.

As he spoke, he pushed open the courtyard gate and walked in.

Chen Zheng followed closely inside.

Upon entering the courtyard, he saw an emaciated, gaunt old man seated in a pavilion, his forehead furrowed with deep creases.

This man was Qing Ling Daoren.

However, there was another person in the pavilion.

They were two people who looked alike.

One was a middle‑aged man over forty, with sword‑shaped eyebrows slanting into his temples, clad in a black robe, exuding authority without anger, sitting opposite Qing Ling Daoren.

The other was a handsome young man, proud as the clouds, standing with his arms crossed.

At that moment, the young man turned his head, his gaze landing on Chen Zheng, and said with displeasure, "Why again to the Ascension Gate?"

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(End of chapter)