Chapter 534: Gathering to Go to the Immortal Sect

Three months of time passed in the blink of an eye.

Cheng Feng settled all matters at home one by one. Wei Zhuang was to temporarily lead the Five-County Joint Defense Group, Zhao Wei would look after the womenfolk in Heimu Prefecture, and Leng Feng would oversee the businesses of the Hong Sect and the Cao Gang in Heimu Prefecture.

As for his own elder brother and third younger brother, after Cheng Feng asked them,

they did not want to come to Heimu Prefecture, preferring to be free and easy in the five counties of the Hong Sect.

Cheng Feng let them be, only urging them not to let their Martial Dao cultivation slide.

The storefronts, secret outposts, garrisoned fields, and road repairs on the Hong Sect side were each managed by trusted elders.

Two days before leaving, he accompanied the women for a reunion dinner and personally took the pulse of every pregnant woman.

The fetal signs were all good, and the midwives and physicians were all prepared. Only then did he set his mind at ease, waiting only for news from Wang Ji.

The letter arrived on the morning of the third day. It was in Wang Ji's own handwriting, the script thin and neat, writing only the time and location, along with the phrase, "Come quickly, the boat waits for no one."

Cheng Feng tucked the letter into his bosom, mounted his horse, and left Heimu Prefecture alone.

There were already many early-rising merchants at the tea pavilions and eateries along the official road. The morning mist had not yet dispersed, and the horse's hooves clattered against the stone slabs.

When he arrived at the agreed-upon ferry, Wang Ji's boat was already docked there.

This was not the first time Cheng Feng had sat on this boat; it was a three-masted fast boat, pitch-black all over, with a sharp and narrow bow and stern, exuding a sharp, wave-breaking aura even when the sails were not unfurled.

Wang Ji stood at the bow, dressed in black with her hair tied up. Seeing Cheng Feng arrive from afar, she merely lifted her chin, counting as a greeting.

Cheng Feng handed his horse to the servant at the pier and boarded the boat.

This time there were not many servants or attendants on the boat; it was clearly much less crowded.

Wang Ji glanced at Cheng Feng, said nothing, and only remarked, "The journey will take quite some time. I heard you killed a Gang Qi Realm expert; how is your injury healing?"

Wang Ji was still concerned about Cheng Feng.

"Many thanks for your concern, Wang Ji," Cheng Feng said. "There is basically no major problem."

Wang Ji did not answer, only turning to walk into the cabin: "When we reach the capital, we will meet up with the others,

and then go together to the Reception Platform set up by the Immortal Sect in the capital. These few days, rest your injury with peace of mind!!"

Cheng Feng knew her cold nature and did not mind, settling himself down in the cabin.

There were not many sailors on this boat, and each was taciturn, moving between the masts and cables like shadows.

After the boat left the shore, it went downriver, moving with astonishing speed.

The green mountains on both banks receded one after another, the morning mist dispersed, and the river surface opened up.

Cheng Feng meditated and regulated his breath in the cabin every day, repeatedly polishing the Dragon Snake Blood Qi within his body to put on a show for outsiders,

otherwise, after adding points, he could directly reach the True Qi Realm.

That would be too eye-catching.

The boat traveled on the river for a full ten days.

Cheng Feng got up to meditate before dawn every day, circulating his Dragon Snake Blood Qi, feigning the appearance of diligent and arduous practice.

The cabin door was half-ajar; Wang Ji would occasionally pass by, her gaze lingering on him for an instant before shifting away indifferently.

She did not ask anything further, only sending people to deliver food that was much more sumptuous than the first two days, occasionally including a bowl of lightly stewed nourishing soup.

Cheng Feng knew it clearly in his heart, but he did not point it out, accepting everything as it came.

The river surface grew wider, the human dwellings on both banks grew denser, and from afar, one could see the towering city walls of the capital, lying across the earth like a grey-green behemoth.

Boats shuttled like shuttles on the pier, the shadows of sails blocking the sky, and the flow of people was so dense there was almost nowhere to step.

After the boat docked, Wang Ji led him through the noisy pier, where secret contacts of Heimu Prefecture in the capital were already there to meet them.

An inconspicuous green-canopied carriage was parked at the mouth of an alley, carrying the two of them through the city and across the wards to a quiet courtyard in North City.

This place was even more hidden than Cheng Feng had expected; the frontage was extremely narrow, but the courtyard inside was deep.

After entering the door, some people had already arrived. In the courtyard, they were either sitting or standing, numbering about twenty or so, both men and women, each with a steady aura and dressed differently, clearly from different backgrounds.

Bai Wugou, Zhou Tieyi, and Lu Zhen—these familiar faces were all there.

There were also some unfamiliar faces.

In Wang Ji's words, some people's natural talent allowed them to be directly exempt from tests and battles, entering the Immortal Sect directly.

Cheng Feng expressed understanding: "This is equivalent to the recommended students of my past life's universities!"

Cheng Feng followed behind Wang Ji, his gaze sweeping over them, and he guessed the background of these people by seven or eight parts.

Most of them were above the True Qi Realm, and a few already had Gang Qi circulating within their breaths.

Especially a young man standing in the corner against the wall, his figure extremely thin, his expression cold,

yet he gave Cheng Feng the feeling of being stared at by a fierce beast,

with an aura similar to Li Qianshan of the Red Lotus Sect.

Cheng Feng exclaimed "Holy crap,"

such a young Martial Artist of the Gang Qi Realm!!!

Zhou Tieyi took the initiative to come forward and greet him.

Cheng Feng cupped his fists toward Zhou Tieyi, and they patted each other on the shoulders.

"I knew you would come," Zhou Tieyi laughed heartily. "I heard about the matter in Qingxi. You uprooted the Red Lotus Sect's four-county branch and even killed a Dharma King. Your combat power is rising too fast."

Cheng Feng shook his head: "I almost lost my life. As for you, I haven't seen you in half a year, and your aura has become much more steady."

Zhou Tieyi said in a low voice: "I was locked up by my family in the capital to train for half a year.

There's no help for it; the Immortal Sect is opening its gates to recruit disciples, and no one who can come is simple. By the way, do you see that person leaning against the wall over there?"

Cheng Feng gave an "Mm": "I saw him a while ago."

"Zhou Zhong, the most ruthless of the Zhou family's generation. He doesn't talk much, but his hands are terrifyingly hard.

I sparred with him once and couldn't even hold out for three moves." Zhou Tieyi's tone carried a bit of admiration, and also some unwillingness.

Cheng Feng did not respond, only taking another look at Zhou Zhong.

Zhou Zhong stood in the corner, arms crossed over his chest, eyes slightly closed, as if indifferent to everything around him.

The more a person is like this, the less they can be underestimated.

At this moment, a person looking like an Immortal Sect Envoy walked into the courtyard and clapped twice: "Everyone is here. Go back to your rooms and rest. Tomorrow night at Luoxia Platform, the Immortal Sect Flying Boat will come to receive you. Conserve your energy and cause less trouble."

The crowd responded and dispersed.

Cheng Feng and Zhou Tieyi stayed in the same guest room.

Old friends reunited, naturally there was much to say. The two chatted under the lamp until midnight, mostly about their experiences over the past few months.

Zhou Tieyi asked about the situation in the five counties, and Cheng Feng picked out what could be said, vaguely glossing over what truly could not be told.

Zhou Tieyi did not press for details, only sighing: "A person like you, once you go to the Immortal Sect, I reckon it won't take many years before you make a name for yourself."

Cheng Feng smiled: "Let's stand firm first before talking about that."

The next day was calm and uneventful.

Everyone went about their own activities in the courtyard; some practiced boxing, some performed breathing exercises, and others, like Cheng Feng, pulled up a chair to sit and drink tea.

Wang Ji came over to patrol in the middle of the day, specifically nodded at Zhou Zhong, and said to Cheng Feng: "You have injuries on your body. If there are tests after entering the sect, act according to your ability. Do not push yourself."

Cheng Feng nodded: "Understood."

At the second watch that night, the group left the city.

The Immortal Sect had long since arranged horses, and more than twenty people galloped north under the cover of night.

The official road was flat, the sound of horse hooves was crisp, and the shadows of trees on both sides flew backward. An hour later, the lonely cliff-like Luoxia Platform was already in sight.

Luoxia Platform stood several zhang above the ground, its top extremely flat, as if sliced by a Sword.

Below the platform, a dozen people in green shirts stood guard with torches; after verifying everyone's tokens, they led the group up the stairs.

The night breeze was gentle, and the stars and moon hung low.

The group stood on the platform, and for a moment, no one spoke. A point of green light suddenly lit up on the horizon in the distance,

at first like a firefly, in an instant like a dipper, and in another blink, a massive Flying Boat tore through the clouds and hovered above Luoxia Platform.

The hull was over twenty zhang long, entirely cyan-black, with flowing light on the base patterns, and two cloud ladders descended from both sides.

Two young men and women wearing moon-white dharma robes walked down, their gazes sweeping over the crowd, and the leading man said indifferently: "Gentlemen, board the boat in order.

Once on the Flying Boat, there is to be no loud noise and no seeking of trouble."

Zhou Zhong was the first to climb the ladder. His attendant followed behind, his footsteps landing steadily on the cloud ladder.

The big shots who were exempt from the test went first.

After that was Wang Ji, the first-place finisher, and Cheng Feng followed closely behind her.

The soles of his feet felt as soft as cotton, yet he stepped firmly.

Once on the Flying Boat, he saw that the interior was a world of its own, as spacious as a palace, with glowing crystals embedded in the four walls, illuminating it as bright as day.

Zhou Tieyi came up afterward and let out a soft breath: "I've grown up in the capital and haven't seen a display like this more than a few times."

Cheng Feng said in a low voice: "This is just the beginning."

After everyone had arrived, the runes at the bottom of the Flying Boat suddenly lit up, the entire ship shook slightly, and it rose slowly. The capital shrank smaller and smaller beneath their feet, finally becoming a blurred sea of lights.

Looking further up, the clouds churned like ink, and the stars shone as if hanging right above their heads.

Zhou Tieyi stood next to Cheng Feng and cursed in a low voice: "Damn it, this formation is more dizzying than the first time I rode a horse."

Cheng Feng did not make a sound. He looked down at the receding mountains and rivers, only feeling his heart and chest blown slightly cool by the night wind.

This journey from Qingxi to the capital, from a mountain of blades and a sea of blood to a Flying Boat in the sea of clouds, felt like it had taken a long time, yet also like it had only just begun.

The Sun-class ship was something he had obtained through a lucky draw.

This time, however, it was a Flying Boat of a civilization unique to this world.

Wang Ji walked to his side at some point and said softly: "Once you enter the Immortal Sect, those past titles no longer count.

The Hong Sect, the Rowing Guild, and the Five-County Joint Defense are of no use here."

"I know." Cheng Feng's gaze remained fixed outside the boat, "I never intended to rely on those anyway."

"Then what will you rely on?" Wang Ji asked, a rare occurrence.

Cheng Feng turned his head and smiled at her: "On my life."

Wang Ji glanced at him, said nothing more, and turned back into the cabin.

The Flying Boat broke through the night wind, heading northwest all the way.