As they descended the flying peaks, the surrounding land had already been thoroughly plowed. Every time they came, there would be many small-time bandits lurking around, waiting for an opportunity to either rob little spirit demons or lone disciples. The flying peaks were well-experienced in this, always sending high-level disciples to clear the area initially, ensuring a peaceful and quiet trading environment.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

At this time, the disciples of Wenjian Peak were the most enthusiastic, shining brightly among the disciples of various peaks. Their strikes were swift and ruthless, leaving no bodies behind, seemingly scraping the very earth itself three feet deep. 

“See that?” You Jia leaned against a corridor pillar, shaking his head with a sigh, “They say, ‘a poor man has short ambitions, and a thin horse has long hair,’ and that’s exactly how it is.”

“But in those legends and stories, aren’t sword cultivators always depicted as wearing flowing white robes, wealthy and powerful?” Feng Qingxiu thought of the many monster-slaying legends he had heard, “The protagonists are almost always sword cultivators.”

“That must be the self-fantasy of poor sword cultivators. Kun-Lai’s ban on trashy novels is second only to that of pirated texts. Be careful not to hide any.” You Jia shook his head and sighed, “Sword cultivators in Kun-Lai have it pretty rough. Look at talisman, ward, and pill cultivators—they have high incomes. Even niche ones like music, art, and ghost cultivators can band together to put on shows and make some income. But sword cultivators, besides fighting, what else can we do?”

“But your combat power is outstanding…” Feng Qingxiu noted the greatest advantage of sword cultivators.

“Exactly, and that’s why it’s like this!” You Jia pointed to the group of sword cultivators practically infighting over targets outside. Their sword lights were sharp and coordinated, striking, killing, collecting, and even scraping away a few spirit demon mice in the burrows. The other peaks, unable to compete, simply went back to prepare their stalls.

“Let’s start too.” Feng Qingxiu sighed and gave orders.

Aside from the large transactions already discussed with the fox clan, there would be many small deals. The spirit demon clans, living scattered as they did, often brought things to the peak market on their own.

This was also when Kun-Lai disciples showcased their skills.

Soon, simple platforms were being set up at the base of each peak, with all sorts of items laid out on long tables. At the peak entrance, disciples guarding the mountain built platforms where the spirit demon clans could exchange items for spiritual stone tokens to buy various good things from Kun-Lai.

The spirit demons, quick learners, also set up haphazard piles of items not far away, inviting inspection.

Curious, Feng Qingxiu wandered around.

His flying peak had been modified, and many things didn’t require his presence. As long as he didn’t leave more than a thousand miles away, he could summon it to his side at any time.

Before the stalls of flying peaks were set up, many large and small foxes had already gathered, looking around. These foxes, varying in size and color, with tails either missing or hidden, were all extremely beautiful, their fur glossy and smooth, irresistibly fluffy.

They acted adorable too.

“A Moon Essence Pill for four tokens,” Feng Qingxiu saw a Danding Peak disciple saying to three white foxes. The three foxes, two large and one small, looked like a family, their faces adorned with colorful patterns, exceptionally beautiful.

“Four? How about three?” Feng Qingxiu watched as the trio tilted their heads in unison, their eyes wet and full of longing, their expressions pleading for a discount, their large tails twitching nervously. The Danding Peak senior sister quickly gave in to their cuteness.

“Three then,” she said generously, petting the small fox, who contentedly nuzzled her hand. The senior sister, overwhelmed, also gave a bottle of Energy Steadying Pills to the little fox for free.

“See, this is why Kun-Lai must go on expeditions,” You Jia sighed.

“What do you mean?” Feng Qingxiu turned to ask, not seeing any problem with it, thinking that it was normal to like beautiful things.

“That smallest fox is already several hundreds of years old, yet she let down her guard just because they wagged their tails.” You Jia waved, “Cultivators’ lives are long, especially in Kun-Lai. Unlike mortals, they don’t scheme as much and spend most of their time in cultivation. Senior Brother Feng, do you think that after a hundred years, a cultivator who only socializes for one hour a day will have the same mindset as an ordinary thirty-year-old mortal?”

Feng Qingxiu understood his point and shook his head, “They’d be even more naive.”

“That’s why Kun-Lai goes on expeditions, to prevent them from becoming recluses. A journey across a million miles broadens their horizons and prevents them from being easily deceived.” You Jia smiled, gesturing for him to look.

Feng Qingxiu saw that after giving away a bottle, the Danding Peak sister was soon surrounded by more foxes. However, the effect of cuteness was clearly not as strong as with the first family of foxes.

He couldn’t help but laugh, realizing that Kun-Lai’s expeditions were indeed for training the disciples’ minds, and any small losses were insignificant to them.

Walking further, Feng Qingxiu was startled by what he saw.

Countless foxes crowded together, forming a towering fox mountain several tens of meters high, surrounding a stall so tightly that not even water could seep through.

“That’s the place where Shennong Peak sells rice. They probably harvested the Azure Rice they planted on their flying peak a few days ago.” You Jia explained, snacking on seeds he cracked, “Azure Rice is a spiritual rice specially bred for the spirit demon clan, excellent for awakening young spirit demons’ intelligence, hence highly popular. They use spiritual fields to grow the rice quickly, harvesting a crop every month, making it one of the most popular items from Kun-Lai.”

Feng Qingxiu nodded, knowing this well. He had once worked on Shennong Peak for a month due to an incident during the Mountain Ascension Ceremony and had treated his master to a meal of spiritual rice…

Remembering this, Feng Qingxiu blushed slightly. His master had said, “Since I’ve eaten your rice, you’re my person, and I’ll take you as my apprentice.”

And he had actually refused.

Such embarrassing history was best forgotten…

Shaking off the memory, Feng Qingxiu was about to chat with Senior Brother You Jia some more when he saw You Jia being dragged away by a large squid tentacle.

“Let go, I need to follow the walking headline!” You Jia struggled, trying to break free from the tentacle’s grip, but failing repeatedly, he roared, “Do you know how much I earn per headline? Don’t cause me trouble!”

“Don’t embarrass me. The Sect Leader’s apprentice doesn’t need you to make headlines!” a deep, calm voice replied, dragging him away steadily, “There’s much to do at Wenjian Peak. Do you think you can still escape back to the sea?”

“Aren’t you there for that! Why push it on me! Senior Brother Feng, save me—” You Jia struggled, reaching out to Feng Qingxiu.

This was a family matter, and Feng Qingxiu couldn’t interfere. He couldn’t use invisible sword energy to cut You Jia’s father’s tentacle, could he?

So, he could only watch as Senior Brother You Jia was dragged away.

That large tentacle even nodded at him politely, waved briefly, and then swiftly dragged You Jia away.

Feng Qingxiu took a moment to reminisce about Senior Brother You, who knew everything and answered every question, before continuing to walk, observing various spiritual goods around him and comparing them with the knowledge of spiritual creatures he had learned at the sect.

Back in the outer gate days, the course on spiritual creature compendiums was notorious for being difficult, with thirteen thick textbooks containing over a hundred thousand different species of spiritual creatures and their habitats. Just thinking about it made Feng Qingxiu shudder at the days of memorizing those compendiums. However, now on this expedition, he realized just how useful that course was!

He could recognize most of the things the spirit demons were selling along the way and could even somewhat discern their freshness and quality.

As he turned a corner, he suddenly heard weeping.

However, when he saw the person crying in the grass, he was momentarily stunned and quickly approached: “Senior Sister Tu, what’s wrong?”

The one crying on the side was a young girl, holding a small snake, her eyes red from crying, her long rabbit ears drooping. She was the daughter of the Peak Master of Shennong Peak who had taken good care of him at the sect, now ascended to the Yushou Peak.

“Ah Qing!” The young girl suddenly threw herself into his arms, sobbing loudly.

Feng Qingxiu comforted her for a long time before finally calming her down.

“What happened, Senior Sister? What happened?” Feng Qingxiu pulled her aside, sitting on a blue stone and asking softly.

“Someone deceived me in marriage,” Senior Sister Tu wiped her tears and whispered.

Feng Qingxiu’s face immediately turned cold. Such things were not uncommon in Kun-Lai, where cultivators from other continents or spirit demons often tried to stay by finding a disciple of Kun-Lai to form a Dao Mate bond, while also sending subsidies to their spirit demon family members in their hometown of the Outlands. The Outlands were vast, making it extremely difficult to verify such matters. Countless Kun-Lai disciples had fallen victim to this. Of course, once such deception was uncovered, the Mountain Patrols of Kun-Lai would make sure they understood the iron fist of Kun-Lai.

Senior Sister Tu whispered about the events of these days. Previously, she encountered trouble on an outing and was helped by a Qingqiu fox. Later, the fox went to buy Azure Rice on Shennong Peak and asked for her help. She thought the fox was a good person, and they got along well. With her help, the fox had obtained a lot of rice, supposedly for the sake of his family’s little foxes. However, he hadn’t returned to Qingqiu in a hundred years, and Senior Sister Tu had always thought this was his reason for rejecting her.

But just now, that fox secretly took her bag and ran away. She had been searching for him for a long time today.

Inside were things she had kept for a long time, which were quite valuable. Losing them would be a big loss.

Thinking of her own fault, she felt very upset.

Feng Qingxiu frowned slightly and said, “Senior Sister, don’t be sad. I will help you find him. Do you have anything of his?”

Senior Sister Tu nodded and took out a tuft of white fur.

Feng Qingxiu released a talisman, which turned into a group of butterflies. After circling the white fur several times, they began flying in one direction.

***

Qiu Yuansheng watched him leave from a distance, smiled slightly, and then spread his hands, letting the wind blow away the fox fur on his hand.

The previous attack by the ghosts had already given him enough insight into the personnel and forces of the flying peaks. Now he needed to see what cards this Eldest Senior Brother Feng had.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

A hundred years ago, that plan was too easy, with no difficulty at all in dealing with the disciples of the Qingdi Peak, but it failed because the Sect Leader arrived.

None of this was enough to show his own abilities to the High Priest.

He hoped this time, there would be a better and smarter opponent.

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In the starlit dots of white light tinged with an eerie green, the closer one got, the clearer they became. They were slightly transparent faces, twisted with expressions of pain, despair, resentment, and malevolence, ferociously rushing towards the place brimming with the vitality of the living. 

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

These were malevolent spirits, which Feng Qingxiu had learned about in the Ghostland Compendium during his time in the lower school. They often emerged on battlefields, bound by resentment and yin energy, unable to find peace, devouring each other and, over a millennium of accumulated yin energy, becoming extremely malevolent spirits, also known as fierce ghosts. Ordinary cultivators were easily harmed by them, and looking at the seemingly endless horde of these fierce spirits, Feng Qingxiu even wondered if all the malevolent spirits from the Ghost Ruins had gathered here.

“How many people died here back then?” Feng Qingxiu’s intent urged the outer layer of Zhuiyun Peak to suddenly thicken with spiritual light, rendering the fierce ghosts’ efforts to break in futile.

“They fought here for over a hundred years, half of the soldiers of Great Xuan died here, which must be a million at least, not to mention even more from the spirit demon clans.” Black Snake looked at the fierce spirits with a sense of loss, saying, “These were the essence of Great Xuan. Anyone who entered our battlefields had to be at least at the Qi Condensation Stage.”

In those days, Great Xuan’s expedition deployed almost all the elite human cultivators, which left their own territory vulnerable, allowing minor spirit demons to exploit the situation. Although Qi Condensation was the lowest cultivation stage, it still far surpassed ordinary mortal soldiers.

“It’s a pity that they were so heroic back then, yet now they’re trapped here, even struggling to reincarnate.” Nightingale covered his eyes with his wings, adding, “We brought them here but couldn’t bring them back.”

“But why are they attacking us?” Qingnu appeared beside them silently, gazing at the countless fierce spirits in the sky with a calm expression, “Something is wrong. The energy of the flying peaks is extremely yang and vigorous; they should be avoiding us.”

“They’re converging.” You Jia swung his sword light, “Let’s go, the protective ward uses a lot of spiritual stones when thickened this much.”

Almost as they spoke, the moon reached its zenith, and the fierce spirits, as if infused with endless power, let out terrifying ghostly wails, merging into gigantic monstrous figures as big as mountains. Countless malevolent souls became parts of these ghostly constructs, their tangled hands, and endless forms of tragic death, a sight so terrifying that the faint-hearted might die of fright.

These gigantic ghostly constructs, imbued with the power of countless spirits, emitted a faint, ominous white glow as they fiercely crashed into the golden protective barrier of the flying peaks.

At this moment, the counterattack from the various flying peaks also commenced, with cultivators from each peak forming teams and charging towards the fierce ghosts.

Qingnu led her junior brothers and sisters, opening a small bottle and tossing in a bit of medicinal powder. The medicine fire within flickered with black and sparkled like dying embers. Attracted by this seemingly most beautiful thing in the world, the gigantic ghostly construct before them crumbled, rushing frantically into the small bottle.

Nearby, the Danding Peak cultivators had already produced a pill furnace, quickly gathering spirits faster than those from Qingnu Peak. Several nearby peaks’ fierce spirits even converged there.

Qiu Yuansheng even gave Qingnu a distant smile, as if saying, “It looks like I win again this time.”

The members of the Qi Peak were shouting, “Take out all the summoning soul flags. You, your technique is wrong. Look at all the ghosts running away—didn’t you each copy a hundred templates of the Hundred Ghost Night Parade Chart? Who the hell told you to copy the Thousand Ghost Divine Walk Chart? It’s not as profitable!”

“No stealing, no stealing, Juedu Peak, you’ve crossed the line!” The Qi Peak members were furious.

“We’re all simply using our skills. Besides, we just use ghostly energy to make poison fog and we’ll let them go afterwards. We don’t imprison them forever like you do!”

“Nonsense! The Sect Leader said only to use fierce ghosts and vengeful spirits. We make contracts with the ghosts, only for a hundred years!” The Qi Peak people yelled angrily.

“Who’s talking nonsense? That chart in your hand is over two hundred years old, right?” The Juedu Peak people mocked.

“It’s because they begged to stay!”

***

Feng Qingxiu silently controlled the ward, having nothing to say. 

This expedition was not in vain; it was truly an eye-opener. Kun-Lai’s presence leaves little behind.

By dawn, the malevolent and vengeful spirits around were almost completely swept away. Each peak and mountain began tallying their harvests, preparing to leave.

Feng Qingxiu received another ledger, this time brought by Guan Yuli, the elegant assistant of Qingnu. Seeing Feng Qingxiu’s slightly puzzled look, Guan Yuli explained, “She lost face to Qiu Yuansheng and is now in seclusion, studying an even better soul-attracting item.”

“Senior Sister Qingnu really is competitive,” Feng Qingxiu smiled, feeling pressured by the record of three hundred fierce spirits he had obtained.

“No,” Guan Yuli’s aloof eyes gazed at the nearby flying peak, marked with Danding’s symbol, frowning slightly, “that soul-attracting item is suspicious.”

“Oh?” Feng Qingxiu looked at him in confusion.

“Excessive use leads to danger. Medicine and pills have a range, exceeding it can be very risky.” Guan Yuli’s face remained emotionless, “He made that item but only used it today. The ghostly attack tonight, that item likely contributed to it.”

This was almost directly saying those ghosts were drawn by Danding Peak.

“Maybe he just forgot to warn us?” Feng Qingxiu suggested, testing the waters.

“Others might forget, but he wouldn’t.” Guan Yuli’s gaze deepened, his delicate features showing concern, “I’m not sure what he’s planning next.”

“Are you worried about Qingnu?” Feng Qingxiu asked with a smile.

“I am worried for her,” Guan Yuli replied calmly.

“Then why do you keep a distance from her?” Feng Qingxiu asked, curious, as calling him Madam Guan would always make him bristle, attacking any who dared with his needles. Though the needles weren’t harmful, they were intimidating. Besides, he was usually also indifferent to Qingnu, maintaining an aloof distance.

“Bamboo must have integrity. Just because she likes me doesn’t mean I should agree,” Guan Yuli thought for a moment before answering, “Firm but flexible, enduring all seasons, empty-hearted, yet steadfast… that is the way of the bamboo.”

“Is that your way, or the bamboo’s?” Feng Qingxiu smiled slightly, feeling a bit of pity for Qingnu. So it was for integrity that he refused? “Does the world’s perception of bamboo’s character relate to your nature?”

“Well…” Guan Yuli frowned slightly, “But I admire this character and strive to embody it.”

“There’s nothing wrong with liking someone; I admire that quality too. But cultivation is about pursuing one’s true self, and suppressing your emotions is never good,” Feng Qingxiu said, recalling his master’s teachings. “Human nature is praised for its good qualities because they’re not easy to achieve.”

“Is that so? Humans are really complicated,” Guan Yuli sighed softly.

“Do you like Qingnu?” Feng Qingxiu asked, not intending to counsel anyone but simply wanting to understand his fellow disciple.

“I…” Guan Yuli’s face turned slightly red, but just as he was about to speak, a sudden sound interrupted him. They turned to see Qingnu accidentally breaking a handrail.

How dare you try to trick words out of me!

Madam Guan angrily walked away, throwing a needle at Feng Qingxiu’s face.

Feng Qingxiu pulled out the bamboo needle and gave Qingnu a look of disdain.

He turned and left.

He didn’t want to talk to her.

“I just came to show you the new bait…” Qingnu felt utterly aggrieved.

“Useless.” You Jia sighed from the corner, lamenting, “What a shame, it was almost headline news again.”

***

Feng Qingxiu, for the first time in his life, felt the taste of dog food. Feeling emotionally bruised, he sought comfort from his master’s paper figure, sticking it to his face and rubbing against it until he finally felt at peace.

Hmm, why does the master’s paper figure seem a bit red?

Tracing the small face with his fingertips, Feng Qingxiu felt puzzled.

But his master had said that the div8ne consciousness inside would only awaken in the Yuntian Domain, and moving now would consume its energy.

Feng Qingxiu then used his sword energy to craft a luxurious white robe for the figure, replacing its black clothes.

How could his master have only one set of clothes!

Yet it seemed the paper figure turned a bit redder.

He had an urge to draw eyebrows and eyes for his master—on second thought, he decided against it, fearing he might not do it well and thus disrespect his master.

Feng Qingxiu added some fur edges to the robe before tucking the figure close to his chest.

Then he stepped out, as it was time for the flying peaks to depart.

Juedu Peak had no objections; after all, they had already taken the best items from the Ghost Ruins, which would need at least a hundred years to recover.

The next stop was the Qingqiu Fox Clan.

Beyond the desolate and eerie Ghost Ruins, heading north, lay the lush and verdant lands of Qingqiu.

This was the first real trading destination.

Unlike the continuous scavenging and expanding the horizons of disciples, the local spirit demons were the true dominant forces here.

Three years prior, Kun-Lai had sent notices to them, and the Qingqiu Fox Clan had responded promptly, preparing for their arrival.

In the past three years, they had gathered a large amount of items they didn’t need (such as spiritual stones, refining minerals, herbs) to exchange for Kun-Lai’s treasures (like pills and elixirs, spiritual artifacts, talismans, spiritual grains).

Kun-Lai had also prepared well, bringing nearly expired pills and elixirs, outdated spiritual artifacts, numerous talismans crafted by ordinary disciples, and the spirit demon-favored pastures (?) to trade for needed items.

The journey was quite far, taking them thirty days to finally arrive.

Spirit demons didn’t have cities; they formed tribes and clans. However, after several transactions, they had established a regular trading post.

From a distance, it now even resembled a small city.

As the flying peaks descended, many white, yellow, black, and gray foxes in the surrounding forests watched with curious and admiring eyes as the massive peaks landed on the plains.

The scene was beyond grand.

“Mother, can I go up and take a look?” a little fox asked.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

“Yes, you can trade on the flying peaks,” the snow-white nine-tailed fox holding it gently replied. “Your father is back too. He has been trading in Kun-Lai for years and brought back enough Celestial Blue Rice to last you a hundred years.”

“Can I go to Kun-Lai too?” the little fox asked curiously.

“When you grow up.” The older fox carried it back into the forest. “Don’t go now. There are many reckless spirit demons trying to sneak attack. They’ll clear them out first. We’ll go later.”

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Ten days later, the flying peaks landed in a valley in the Ghost Ruins of the Qingqiu Domain. Nearly a hundred massive peaks silently settled down. The ground was uneven, but several talisman formations at the base of the flying peaks shifted, and in just a few breaths, the soil conformed perfectly to the terrain below, securely anchoring it.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

As they landed, a strange black fog enveloped the area. The Ghost Ruins, a battlefield between the Great Xuan Dynasty and the spirit demon clans centuries ago, was one of the most poisonous places on earth, extremely dangerous. Almost immediately upon landing, the various eerie, blood-colored plants on the dark ground began to spread towards the flying peaks, but were blocked by a faint talisman light emanating from the peaks.

One of the peaks bore a black flag with white patterns resembling a jellyfish. It functioned like an exhaust fan, opening four vents in the mountain, sucking in the black fog like a whale swallowing water, and then expelling clean air as if it were exhaust. In less than an hour, the surrounding black fog had significantly thinned.

On Zhuiyun Peak, many people stood at the exit, waiting for the poisonous fog to dissipate so they could leave the peak. 

“This Peach Blossom Mountain ghost fog is the most toxic and troublesome. Only Juedu Peak likes to refine its essence. In a few hours, the ghost fog within hundreds of miles will be sucked dry by them, and then we can go down and find some good stuff,” said a burly, honest-looking cultivator to Yan Ling.

Around them were many cultivators, not dressed in the standard Kun-Lai attire and carrying various old and new weapons, clearly not official Kun-Lai disciples. On the flying peaks, such cultivators were collectively referred to as unaffiliated cultivators. 

They came from all over: some had not been able to pass the outer sect, others were from small sects that had migrated from the Central Continent, and still others were cultivators from other continents hoping to strike it rich.

But they all knew that flying peak expeditions were extremely dangerous, and the cost of joining was very high, so they usually traveled in groups, led by someone experienced.

Without a Dao Disc, Yan Ling had to join an unaffiliated cultivator team and sleep in the cheapest, most basic dormitories on the flying peak, which greatly displeased him, being used to elite treatment.

“Brother Zhou, are you sure this is safe?” a young cultivator looked nervously at the black smoke outside, which gathered and dispersed like evil spirits.

“See over there? We’ll follow them,” the burly cultivator, Brother Zhou, pointed to another exit where Kun-Lai disciples were gathered, organizing into small teams and discussing their plans, looking relaxed and unconcerned, completely different from the fear and anxiety exhibited by unaffiliated cultivators. “These flying peaks have powerful Synthesis cultivators; strong poisonous beasts wouldn’t dare come near. They also have many good defensive items. We’ll just follow behind and pick up what they don’t want, and that’ll be enough for us to make a profit.”

“Why should we only take what they don’t want?” Yan Ling frowned slightly. “Spiritual treasures are formed by nature and belong to whoever can seize them.”

At his words, the surrounding unaffiliated cultivators instinctively stepped back a few paces.

“Brother Yan,” Brother Zhou whispered, “don’t forget we’re on their flying peak. If we upset them, they could throw us off, and that’s no joke.”

A look of disdain flashed in Yan Ling’s eyes, but he said nothing more.

A few hours later, the black fog had completely dissipated, revealing a clear sky. The eerie, toxic plants on the ground seemed to hate the sunlight and began to retreat into the shadows. At this moment, the protective formation at the nearby exit opened, and a team of Kun-Lai disciples in blue robes left the peak.

Their blue robes had patterns of immortal grass at the hems, clearly marking them as disciples of Qingnu Peak. Yan Ling’s group followed them from a distance.

“Pick the herbs with gold-threaded gloves on to avoid poisoning. Watch out for bugs… Don’t kill black centipedes; Yushou Peak likes those and they sell for a good price,” the leader of the blue-robed disciples instructed, as they all had cloth wrapped around their heads and brought out various jars and boxes. They moved through the area like it was their own orchard, effortlessly collecting valuable items.

“Don’t stray too far, keep a proper distance. We’ve got plenty of time,” the leader continued, calmly explaining the uses and identification of the collected items, “The Ghost Ruins have many treasures, but the most valuable is the Ghost Fog Grass. Its medicinal properties aren’t determined by age; the ones with black threads in the leaves are the best. They grow in the densest Yin energy areas and are great for countering deadly curses and have remarkable effects on Golden Core Formation.”

Brother Zhou listened intently, admiringly, and began picking the herbs, of course he could only use a gold steel talisman for protection. The other unaffiliated cultivators also started picking up what the Kun-Lai disciples occasionally missed.

By the end, although they were only scavenging, they had gathered quite a decent haul, each person ending up with three or four plants.

As the black fog thickened, the leader of the blue-robed disciples looked around and ordered his team to return.

“Brother Zhou…” a young unaffiliated cultivator pointed to a lush patch of grass not far away in the black fog. The ground was covered with short grass with three purple-green leaves, each with three white spots resembling twisted ghost faces. The veins in the leaves were thick black lines, indicating top-quality Ghost Fog Grass. “We should go pick those.”

“No!” Brother Zhou’s face changed, “If they didn’t take it, it’s definitely dangerous. We shouldn’t touch it. Remember, the biggest taboo on flying peak expeditions is greed…”

“It’s so close; it won’t be a problem. If we get this, we’ll strike it rich.” The young unaffiliated cultivator, unable to let go, moved closer.

“Come back—” Before Brother Zhou could finish, a shadow flashed in the black fog, and the young unaffiliated cultivator was swept away without even a scream.

The surrounding unaffiliated cultivators all turned pale.

Yan Ling was also startled. He hadn’t noticed the snake shadow at all, and he was a Nascent Soul cultivator, far above the Foundation Establishment unaffiliated cultivators.

“That’s a ghost snake, a local beast demon hiding in the black fog. Even a Nascent Soul cultivator can hardly detect it. It’s highly venomous; one bite requires ten antidote pills and immediate treatment by the Qingnu Peak elders,” the leader of the blue-robed disciples turned back upon hearing the commotion, warning his rookie team, “Only the Juedu Peak folks can enter the black fog. They’re more poisonous than the ghost snakes; a bite from them would kill the snake. Besides, there’s a big boss in there, a demon king. Juedu Peak extracts venom from it once every hundred years. We should avoid conflicts with the local beast demons. Understand?”

The rookies quickly nodded.

Then the blue-robed disciples continued on their way back.

Brother Zhou sighed and led the unaffiliated cultivators back as well.

Still shaken by the eerie environment, Yan Ling saw a group of black-robed cultivators with white patterns walk into the black fog, chatting and laughing. The leader held a jade gourd with black runes absorbing the surrounding fog, creating a clear path.

“Senior Brother, if you absorb the fog, we can’t catch the snakes,” a black-robed cultivator protested.

“The fog is the most toxic thing here, not the snakes. Besides, Juedu Peak has enough snakes. Say, wouldn’t it be great for our peak to set up here; there’s plenty of good materials,” the leader mused.

“But there’s no internet here,” a young black-robed girl pointed out.

“…Good point.” The leader immediately dropped the idea. “Let’s go; the venomous toad is calling. There’s a big one over there…”

Their voices faded into the fog, leaving Yan Ling feeling like his worldview was being challenged.

At this time, the night began to fall, and he was practically pulled away in a daze by the unaffiliated cultivators.

Back on the flying peak, it was dinner time. The mountain had a special hall providing spiritual food, but unaffiliated cultivators could only buy spiritual wheat bran buns. 

Though Yan Ling, being a Nascent Soul cultivator, didn’t need to eat, he saw spiritual wine being sold. It could help balance the hostility in his cultivation method, so he tried to buy some.

But the cultivator serving drinks refused. “Sorry, this isn’t sold to unaffiliated cultivators.”

Yan Ling glared coldly at him, as if wanting to devour him.

“Don’t bother; this is top-grade wine, not for sale. The cheap stuff is over there,” the server pointed to a corner and then attended to the next Kun-Lai disciple.

Yan Ling memorized his appearance, planning to devour his blood and essence next time he was out. Though he was only a Golden Core Formation cultivator, this insult had to be repaid.

Nearby, Brother Zhou, eating his spiritual wheat bran bun, tugged Yan Ling’s sleeve. “Brother Yan, this is Kun-Lai’s rule. Good stuff goes to their own first. We can’t do anything about it, and besides, we can’t afford it. Don’t get angry.”

“Hmph.” Yan Ling coldly surveyed the hall, trying to remember the faces of the Kun-Lai disciples.

At that moment, a familiar graceful figure appeared, chatting happily with a young man. Yan Ling thought for a moment and shrank back into the crowd of unaffiliated cultivators.

Qingnu and Feng Qingxiu patrolled around, breathing a slight sigh of relief. “Thankfully, no casualties today.”

“Some of those unaffiliated cultivators seem to be missing,” Feng Qingxiu frowned slightly. “It’s only the first time we’ve landed.”

“It’s already quite good. The Outlands are full of dangers. Even Kun-Lai disciples, with all their experience, often face casualties. If half of the unaffiliated cultivators make it back, that’s considered fortunate.” Qingnu shook her head and then took out a ledger. “You have a half investment in Zhuiyun Peak. Today’s income from all the peaks will be taxed at twenty percent for the peak masters, so ten percent of today’s income is yours. Check it over.”

Feng Qingxiu took the ledger and examined it carefully, then asked with some confusion, “An income of 120,000 spiritual stones in one day—isn’t that a bit too high?”

Could it be that today’s total income reached a million spiritual stones? That’s too…

“It’s not high at all. For example, Ghost Mist Grass only grows in the Ghost Ruins. Without Juedu Peak removing the poisonous mist, the Synthesis cultivators scaring off the great spirit demons and our experience, even Nascent Soul cultivators might lose their lives collecting a single plant. A box of Return Soul Incense made from a single plant sells easily for a thousand spiritual stones in the Central Continent, and they still think it’s cheap. Besides, we won’t be back here for at least a hundred years, so we can sell it slowly.” Qingnu smiled. “Not only the human realms but the outer realms have shamanic clans skilled in curse arts. Many spirit demon clans suffer from this too, so selling to them is even more profitable.”

Feng Qingxiu nodded, thinking about the dozen boxes of grass they collected today. He started to understand why Kun-Lai’s prices were so high.

After reviewing the accounts, Feng Qingxiu returned the ledger to Qingnu. After some pleasantries, she left.

Only then did Feng Qingxiu return to his quarters and start writing a letter to his master. He first reported recent events, then expressed his longing for his master, and finally, knowing his master’s desire to explore, added, “Now that I’ve ventured into the Outlands, I truly realize how vast the world is. If possible, I would love to share these endless landscapes with you, Master.”

He hit send.

It didn’t go through.

He tried several more times before it finally went through.

Was the network too distant?

He then took out the unresponsive paper figure of his master. Suddenly inspired, he used his sword energy to craft a simple black robe and carefully dressed the paper figure in it.

How could just a piece of paper represent his master? This made his master’s figure more imposing!

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He squeezed the paper figure’s arm and was about to touch it again when he sensed a disturbance in the flying peak’s great spiritual ward.

Transforming into light, he landed on the peak top and saw countless specks of light rushing towards the flying peaks in the distant night.

Almost simultaneously, warning signals from the various peaks sounded.

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Amidst the grand procession of flying peaks, one stood out conspicuously. On its steep cliffs were the three characters “Zhuiyun Peak,” embedded with a stern and formidable power that only higher level cultivators could dare to chance a second look without being crushed by the Dao it contains. The masters of other peaks envied it greatly, for the inscription was personally written by the Sect Leader!

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On the mountain, various pavilions and buildings were being quietly constructed. But despite the relatively small scale of the project, building while flying was bound to attract attention.

On Zhuiyun Peak, two cultivators leaned against a small building, gazing at the large characters inscribed on the cliff with a gentle sigh.

“Even my peak has never had an inscription. I almost want to pry this one off and take it,” Bai Shuixian said wistfully. “The Sect Leader really favors that kid.”

“Are you worried?” Yan Zhao asked her.

“A bit. After all, he favored that beast back then too,” Bai Shuixian said slowly. “But a few hundred years later, he managed to overcome his inner demons and took on an apprentice again. What more could we ask for?”

Yan Zhao nodded in agreement and then called over the person in charge of the peak, handing out the route map for this journey.

“This is the route we’ll take. After leaving the Western Continent, we’ll first head to the Qingqiu Domain, where we’ll stay for only a month. Then, we’ll proceed to the Yuntian Domain. At the junction of Qingqiu and Yuntian, there’s a Thunder Valley, which often experiences Lightning Tribulations. We’ll replenish our stock of thunder spirit stones there for use as a backup power source for the flying peaks. Lastly, we’ll circle around the Yuntian Domain before returning to Kun-Lai,” Yan Zhao explained. This information was typically only disclosed to the masters of the peaks. The lower-ranking disciples didn’t need to know.

Feng Qingxiu thanked him and said he understood, carefully pocketing the map.

Yan Zhao and Bai Shuixian nodded, left a few more words of encouragement, and then left.

Feng Qingxiu touched the paper figure pasted on his chest, feeling a bit disappointed. He flicked a paper figure off the flying peak. His master had given him a paper figure containing a trace of the Sect Leader’s divine consciousness, but he had said that no matter how strong one’s divine consciousness was it couldn’t sense anything across domains. Thus, the divine consciousness would remain dormant in the paper figure until they reached the Yuntian Domain.

But what did “dormant” mean?

Feng Qingxiu pondered his master’s occasional strange words, always finding them profound.

Once the flying peak set off, it would follow a single direction, but the strong winds in the sky would cause it to drift off course. This required the peak master to periodically correct the direction to keep the path steady. Every ten days of travel, they would rest for a day.

The peak was bustling, mostly with disciples from Qingnu Peak, who made up almost two-thirds of the group this time as Qingdi Peak’s floating peak could no longer travel far. The rest were You Jia and a few fellow disciples from Wenjian Peak. Huang Wei and Ying An didn’t bring anyone along.

“Why didn’t you go to Wenjian Peak, since you’re the deputy peak master’s son?” Feng Qingxiu asked You Jia.

You Jia’s reason made Feng Qingxiu unable to know whether he should laugh or cry. He said, “You and Qingnu are always making headlines. Who else would I follow?”

“But there’s no internet outside Kun-Lai, right?” Feng Qingxiu couldn’t understand.

You Jia summoned a tiny white bird, like a sparrow with a ribbon-like long tail, which quietly perched on his hand. “This is Piaopiao, an almost extinct white-feathered falcon. With it, I can get headlines back to Kun-Lai within a day, even in the Yuntian Domain. My people will post them for me,” he explained. “Wenjian Peak is pitiful. They don’t know how to do business or alchemy. They’re basically bodyguards, earning just a bit of money. My last headline’s income is enough for my cultivation for ten years. It’s better than selling my tentacles, right?”

Feng Qingxiu couldn’t help but laugh. “I’ll also sell you headlines in the future if I find any.”

“As expected, the Sect Leader has good vision,” You Jia said, satisfied. “Come, let me tell you about this place. We’re about to reach the Qingqiu Domain.”

Feng Qingxiu nodded and walked over with him.

Pointing to a blackened area to the north, You Jia said, “That’s called the Ghost Ruins, an ancient battlefield from when the Great Xuan Dynasty invaded Qingqiu. Back then, nine of Great Xuan’s twelve Human Immortals fell here. The war between the human and spirit demon races lasted nearly a hundred years, with countless casualties. Both sides used numerous vicious spiritual techniques, leaving this dead land full of evil beasts and toxins. But there are also treasures here, which is why Juedu Peak has been preparing to harvest the resources here for thirty years.”

“Great Xuan’s invasion?” Feng Qingxiu had heard of it but was still curious.

“Ask those two. They know all about it,” You Jia pointed to a snake and a bird not far away. “It was their doing, wasn’t it, Yin Wushe, Yin Baiying?”

The snake and the bird turned to look at him, visibly wary. “So what if it was?” they said simultaneously.

“Tell us about it, and I’ll waive all your rent on the flying peak,” You Jia smiled. “I just want to know how you did it.”

The black snake glanced at him and then spoke in a low voice. “In the late years of Great Xuan, the nation’s fortune had reached its limit. Many cultivators couldn’t advance due to insufficient fortune and died of old age, causing unrest. The High Priest predicted that the human territory couldn’t support so many cultivators and demanded the nobles streamline their fortune cultivators and promote more fortune cultivators among commoners. This divided the court into two factions.”

“Then, the emperor said the lack of fortune was due to insufficient territory and called for an invasion to expand the realm and gain more national fortune,” the nightingale added indifferently. “The High Priest agreed but advised preparation and reconnaissance before the invasion, considering the unknowns and the entrenched cultivators in other domains.”

“But the emperor thought the High Priest was deliberately opposing him and insisted on an immediate surprise attack,” the black snake shrugged. “Three times, we invaded the Qingqiu Domain and were beaten back each time by traps set by Celestial Fox Su Wan and others. Most were sent into reincarnation, leaving only a pittance of our remaining forces.”

“The emperor was never this Humiliated but Great Xuan only had three existing Human Immortals left—himself, the High Priest, and the empress. He planned to draw fortune to create more Human Immortals, hoping to secure victory with absolute power,” the nightingale continued. “The High Priest vehemently opposed this, fearing it could endanger the human race, but the emperor accused him of disrupting morale.”

“Everyone supported the emperor, wanting more Human Immortals. With no choice, the High Priest conceded, and they drew upon the fortune of the human race, creating nine more Human Immortals. It was Great Xuan’s peak of power, with twelve Huam Immortals,” the black snake lowered his head. “Su Wan was nearly killed, and the foxes of Qingqiu scattered. But she brought in many Great Sages for support, and the battlefield remained in Qingqiu for almost a hundred years.”

“That century-long battle left the land uninhabitable, but the borrowed fortune had to be repaid. The High Priest demanded a partial repayment first, but… well, Great Xuan fell into chaos, split apart, and the remaining Human Immortals, including us, were devoured by the backlash of the borrowed fortune,” the nightingale said. “Dying and entering reincarnation.”

“That’s the gist of it,” the black snake retreated. “That dead land was a result of multiple blood sacrifices on both sides. The land became poisonous, killing many, so we moved the battlefield several times. Half of Qingqiu Domain turned into a wasteland.”

“Then Su Wan entering Great Xuan’s imperial harem to divide the court and bring down the empire wasn’t entirely wrong,” You Jia commented, seeing it from a later perspective.

“She could just target us! But why the emperor?” the black snake hissed, “It must have been the work of Ziyun Dao and those other sects. They were exiled to Yuntian Domain by Great Xuan. If they hadn’t ‘helped,’ we would have conquered Qingqiu ages ago. But now… we aren’t even human anymore.”

“That’s short-sightedness!” You Jia criticized, “Look at the Sect Leader. No matter how poor or tough the Western Continent was, he never let us rob others. Instead, he had us bring our own goods over for trade. We even considered raiding small neighboring spirit demon clans, but the Sect Leader declared: We may be poor, but we cannot steal or rob!”

Kun-Lai dares to call itself poor! Do they have any shame?

The black snake and nightingale glared at him. “Your prices for pills and artifacts are robbery!”

“Exactly!” the black snake agreed, “Robbery at least leaves some hidden treasures. Your prices clean us out and even force us to sell blood!”

“Did we force you to buy?” Qingnu approached silently, smiling at the two spirit demons. “You sold your blood to pay rent just fifteen minutes ago, and now you resent me. Isn’t that burning bridges, toppling ladders, and biting the hand that feeds you?”

The black snake and nightingale shrank back and quickly fled, as if facing a predator.

“So, Peak Master, don’t be shy,” Qingnu smiled. “Our kind of robbery is reasonable and legal.”

Feng Qingxiu nodded in agreement.

In the evening, Feng Qingxiu wrote down his experiences of the day, expressing his endless admiration for his master. After checking that no one was around, he took out his Net Charm and sent his master a private message!

A private message!

This was a new feature his master had specifically developed for him.

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Such a blissful feeling…

Feng Qingxiu quietly took out the small piece of paper with his master’s divine consciousness, kissed it, and then carefully put it back.

The candlelight was dim, so he didn’t notice the paper turning red.

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