After lingering in the Yuntian Domain for several days, the ransom payment from the Ziyun Dao was still on its way, but Sword Peak, from the peak master to the disciples, had already stirred up the beast demon nest so much that the spirit demons had fled in panic. 

Of course, walking the night road often meant stumbling upon some hard bones to chew. Along the way, many disciples had sustained serious injuries, but the cultivators of Medicine Peak were there to properly tend to them.

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

Besides the disciples showcasing their skills, there were also many brave unaffiliated cultivators who had tagged along with the flying peaks, trying to make some extra profit by trading spiritual grains in the beast demon nest.

As Luo Chi descended from the flying peak, he stepped onto the moist, moss-covered ground. He picked up a handful of wet soil with moss and compared it to the information in his memory. With an incantation, his figure shifted, landing directly atop the giant beast demon nest in the cloud sea.

He had traveled from the Central Continent to the Southern Continent, and then entered the remote area of the Yuntian Domain, controlled by Jietian Dao and the Taiqing Sect. Unexpectedly, he ended up captured in the territory of Ziyun Dao.

Fortunately, his adaptability wasn’t too bad. If word of his capture had reached Jietian Dao, his mother would have mocked him for half a year. And the trouble on the Taiqing Sect’s side would have piled as high as the sky.

Moreover, the mission he was on had failed.

The ancient cultivator from the Taiqing Sect had tasked him with finding something but only mentioned that he should head northwest and that fate would guide him. Given the huge debt of karma he owed the ancient cultivator, he couldn’t refuse.

To make matters worse, during his capture, the sensing stone that could detect the object was stolen by Demoness Qingnu of Kun-Lai.

Now this was quite embarrassing.

How could he retrieve the sensing stone from Demoness Qingnu? He couldn’t draw attention to himself, or else if they discovered he was assisting a Human Immortal in finding treasure, they would never return it.

The only thing he had left to offer was his skills.

As he pondered this, he noticed a young man walking past him not far away. 

It was the same youth who had shattered his spiritual armor with one sword strike. Word was that his surname was Feng, the head apprentice of the Kun-Lai Sect Leader, someone of equally noble status no worse than his own.

Perhaps he could try something on his side?

Luo Chi thought for a moment and approached him, greeting, “Feng gongzi…”

Feng Qingxiu stopped and nodded, immediately recognizing the young man before him. During the battle, this person had been lurking in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to strike. He had intercepted his formless sword energy, causing his sword to break and injuring his heart meridian due to the backlash. It had taken the Demoness Qingnu quite some time to heal him.

But it was simply a case of conflicting loyalties, with each person fighting for their side—nothing awkward about it. He had also approved Luo Chi’s ransom payment yesterday.

“Last time, you broke my sword.” Luo Chi pulled out his broken longsword from his palm, pointing to the strange cracks on it. “Your sword energy has left a demonic trace on it, and I can’t reintegrate it. Could you help remove the trace?”

Because the sword was broken, he was able to get a cheaper price for it during his ransom payment.

Feng Qingxiu looked at the strand of formless sword energy coiling around the blade’s fracture and nodded, calling back the sword energy. 

The returning energy seemed somewhat reluctant, and as it left the blade, the sword trembled slightly before automatically repairing itself. Luo Chi breathed a sigh of relief and inserted the sword back into his palm.

“Is this a spiritual weapon?” Feng Qingxiu asked, recognizing at a glance that the sword had a spiritual soul—a rare treasure that could grow alongside its master. Given Luo Chi’s background, possessing such an item was not surprising.

Feng Qingxiu’s own formless sword energy was technically a spiritual weapon too, though it had a habit of feeding on other spiritual weapon souls, which explained its reluctance to leave.

“Indeed. Ying Che was forged from magnetite gathered at the Northern Sea Eye and tempered with cold iron. After nurturing it with blood and flesh for a hundred years, it finally became a spiritual sword.” Luo Chi smiled as he brushed his hand over his arm. “I’ve long heard of Kun-Lai’s disciples being extraordinary, and it’s my first time seeing someone who could control a spiritual weapon while still in the Golden Core stage. Was this weapon bestowed upon you by your Sect Leader?”

In truth there was no such rule—anyone could use a spiritual weapon once it recognized them as its master. However, in the Central Continent, spiritual weapons were rarely given to cultivators below the Nascent Soul stage; doing so would essentially invite others to come and rob them.

Feng Qingxiu nodded slightly. “You flatter me, but yes, it was.”

The Xing Dao Master’s cultivation method was unique in style and naturally the spiritual weapons he bestowed would be different from those of the Central Continent. Luo Chi knew that continuing a discussion on spiritual weapon maintenance would be pointless, so he changed the topic. “To be honest, my sword still has some deficiencies. I’ve been searching for materials over the years, but unfortunately, many have ended up in the hands of your sect’s Qingnu. I’ve been unable to find her lately. Could you help me arrange a meeting with her? I would be deeply grateful.”

This wasn’t difficult, but Feng Qingxiu knew that with the prisoner exchange coming up soon, Qingnu was likely busy with that Grand Elder of Ziyun Dao and wouldn’t have time for a meeting. He nodded, “Qingnu is currently in Seclusion. You might be able to meet her in three days.”

By then, the prisoner exchange with Ziyun Dao would have happened, and Qingnu would likely be eager to extract more information about Jietian Dao’s healing techniques.

“Many thanks…” Luo Chi nodded but suddenly paused.

He had seen someone—or rather, something not quite human.

It seemed to be a wisp of a soul.

Luo Chi had been born with Divine Eyes, which had earned him a place as a disciple of the ancient cultivator of the Taiqing Sect. This ability allowed him to see through all illusions and ghostly trickery.

The ancient cultivator’s goal was for Luo Chi to inherit his Taishang Dao, honing his Divine Eyes to their peak, allowing him to perceive the world’s fortunes and see through the myriad layers of existence.

This was why Luo Chi could clearly see the faint, ethereal wisp of a soul drifting by.

That wisp of soul only smiled faintly, yet it seemed to gather all the world’s essence in its form, like a moon suspended in the heavens, drawing all gazes toward it.

Luo Chi was no stranger to awe-inspiring sights.

He had met world-renowned figures—the ancient cultivator of the Taiqing Sect, his grandmother, Venerable Yan of Ziyun Dao, and even the legendary Taixuan Qingxiao. He had even witnessed the Xing Dao Master of Kun-Lai in the apocalyptic scene during the heavenly tribulations in the Southern Continent back then, displaying unparalleled mastery over the laws of heaven and earth.

But all those figures had an unmistakable air of distance, treating all beings—living or dead—equally, their detachment evident.

Jietian Dao cultivated through emotions, and while Luo Chi found such manipulation of countless lives in the palm of one’s hand to be utterly tedious. Towards the emotionless Dao of the Taiqing Sect, he avoided it even more like the plague.

However, the soul just now was definitely a supreme power of the Great Sage/Human Immortal rank. 

But that kind of smile and demeanor…  

Just recalling it made a flush of red slowly creep up from the tips of Luo Chi’s ears. He silently covered his face.  

For the beauty, there was no choice but to sell a few items from Taiqing and Ziyun. 

After all, everyone had been scheming against each other for so many years; they all knew each other’s cards…  

“Clang!” A sword’s hum, as loud as a great bell, suddenly pulled him out of his fantasy. It was the spiritual sword connected to his soul through his blood, sensing his thoughts and mercilessly pouring cold water on him.  

“You scared me.” Luo Chi gently touched his left hand and spoke softly to the sword he dearly loved, which was heavily injured.  

The long sword hummed again, questioning him, “Don’t daydream any longer, have you thought about who that soul was?”  

Luo Chi suddenly froze.

***

On the way back, Feng Qingxiu frowned slightly: “It seemed that person saw you?”  

Ji Yunlai was unconcerned: “So what?”  

He had only concealed himself a little, not wanting to cause trouble. If he wished, even if that boy had another pair of eyes, he wouldn’t have been able to see him.  

Feng Qingxiu had nothing more to say. He was clearly the only one who could see his master… but he simply replied, “It’s nothing, just a little strange.”  

Ji Yunlai secretly glanced at the shadow of his apprentice swinging a sword, ready to strike, and smiled: “In the future, just make sure he doesn’t see me.”  

“I’m not that…” Feng Qingxiu wanted to say ‘petty’, but somehow it didn’t sound right. Feeling a bit frustrated, he stopped talking.  

“I understand.” Ji Yunlai’s smile deepened, and he patted his apprentice’s head.  

What do you understand… Feng Qingxiu felt a twinge of conflict in his heart, so he dropped the subject altogether.

When they returned to the flying peak, Feng Qingxiu thought of the things given to him by Senior Brother Yang and had a vague desire to connect needle and thread…  

No, no!  

How could he let his master see those embarrassing inner robes of strange styles?  

That would be a grave offense, deceiving his master and dishonoring his ancestors.  

“What grave offense?” Ji Yunlai asked from the side.  

“Nothing, just thinking that Senior Brother Yang’s generosity can’t be refused, so I ought to prepare a return gift.” Feng Qingxiu was startled that he had let slip part of his thoughts.  

“Is that so.” Ji Yunlai didn’t expose him and just gazed out at the brilliant sunset, now coloring the western horizon. For some reason, he felt as though something was waiting for him in the west.  

But the west here was nothing but the endless chasm of the Abyss.  

He had tried to descend, but the turbid waters below were incredibly fierce, with the power to cleanse the soul. Even sending down a mere part of his spirit would cause some damage.  

He had only come here to accompany Xiao Qing, so he hadn’t gone down again.  

Seeing Feng Qingxiu’s flushed face, Ji Yunlai couldn’t help teasing him again: “With Xiao Yang being so mischievous, you might as well just accept me instead.”  

Feng Qingxiu’s ears first turned red, then his face turned blue. Looking incredibly fierce, he was about to retort with “Impossible!” when he noticed his master’s barely concealed smile. His mind turned, and he glanced mildly at his master, replying calmly, “Alright, whenever you decide on a date.”  

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

Ji Yunlai was taken aback by the counterattack and laughed: “Why wait? Today works.”  

“It seems Master doesn’t care about me at all, not even bothering to choose a proper day. Let’s leave it for the next life then.” Seeing that his master remained unflustered, Feng Qingxiu could only sigh in defeat. “Enough joking. Help me think about what return gift I should give to Senior Brother Yang.” 

If you would like to show some ♡  then please consider supporting this translator! ლ(⌒εー)ლ

Xiao Yang is getting more and more over the line. Does he think he can tease my disciple?

Ji Yunlai was slightly displeased and mentally marked a cross next to Yang Fuyin’s name, thinking that it might be time to discipline this apprentice. However, this was a small matter. After considering it for a moment, he continued to gaze into the distance.

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

This travel trip was so much fun!

Yun Capital rose high into the clouds, with a sea of clouds flowing around it. From afar, it looks like a city floating in the sky. Adding in the occasional appearances of spirit demons and creatures flying in and out, Ji Yunlai felt as if he had stepped into a fantasy world.

There was no place for the flying peaks to land in Yun Capital, so they landed on a flat space outside the cliff.

This city, if it could be called a city, was more like a massive beast demon’s nest. Here, one had to be constantly on guard against possible attacks from spirit demons and monsters, so they must move in groups.

Feng Qingxiu’s group, of course, included his master.

After going through various preparations for landing the flying peaks and activating wards, Ji Yunlai excitedly carried his apprentice up to the beast demon’s nest that was Yun Capital.

Upon arriving at the nest, they saw a rule posted: The beast demons in Yun Capital must not exceed the size of the nearby stone monument. The stone monument was six meters tall, wide, and long. Standing next to it, Ji Yunlai and Xiao Qing instantly appeared small in comparison.

As they walked, the two chatted.

Ji Yunlai said, “For the free-spirited spirit demon clans, a gathering place like a city is really rare. They usually just take whatever they lack by force, or they wait by a spiritual herb for a thousand years to mature. Only Great Sages can suppress these unruly spirit demons.”

Feng Qingxiu smiled faintly, then sighed a bit. “I pity those great spirit demons who guard their spiritual treasures for years, only to have them snatched away at the last moment, even becoming prey themselves.”

“This is the survival law of the spirit demons: the strong prey on the weak, and nature takes its course,” Ji Yunlai nodded, recalling his own experiences. He mused, “In truth, the human race is no different, except we’ve learned to defy the heavens.”

“Isn’t it about following the will of the heavens?” Feng Qingxiu had been following his master’s train of thought but suddenly couldn’t reconcile this idea. “Humans observe the changes of the seasons, summarize the 24 solar terms, and follow the rhythm of farming. Even cultivation often involves proclaiming ‘this is the will of the heavens.'”

“On the surface, yes. But if we truly followed the will of heaven, we wouldn’t be cultivating for immortality at all. Humans are smarter than spirit demons because they learn from experience and exploit loopholes.” Ji Yunlai spoke casually while examining the various spiritual items around the beast demon nest. Here, if one wanted something, they had to ask about it and trade; it was like a primitive society.

Though in some ways, it was even less civilized—at least in primitive society, there wasn’t the principle of eating someone just because it was a moment of pique.

Suddenly, a familiar voice came from the side, “Two pounds of Azure Rice, deal or no deal?”

Feng Qingxiu turned curiously and saw Black Snake holding a bag, negotiating with a peacock whose feathers were incredibly brilliant. The object the peacock guarded outside its nest was exactly what Black Snake was pointing at—a dark, indistinct item.

The peacock tilted its head. “Three pounds.”

“Deal!” Black Snake agreed instantly, taking out the rice from his pouch and handing it over.

The peacock eyed Black Snake’s pouch, clearly still filled with rice, with a predatory gleam.

Black Snake, having taken the dark item, turned to leave.

The peacock glanced over and followed closely behind.

Feng Qingxiu was about to step forward to assist when he noticed a few disciples from Wenjian Peak also looking pleased and following along.

Well, Feng Qingxiu backed off; it seemed his help wasn’t needed.

However, in the next second, they all saw the peacock cry out in alarm and fly away, panic-stricken, dropping a flurry of feathers.

A massive seven-headed snake appeared in Yun Capital, its body spanning a thousand meters, hissing, “That beauty snake is my beloved. No one is allowed to touch him!”

The other spirit demons, seeing this, said nothing. They silently memorized Black Snake’s appearance and returned to their own business.

Hai Chaoxu, satisfied, transformed back into the form of a graceful young man, though his lower body was still that of a long tail. He seductively wrapped it around Black Snake’s leg, wearing an overbearing expression like a king. “Beauty, you’ve finally come. I’ve been waiting for you in Yun Capital for so long. Do you know? Ever since you lashed me with your tail in bed that last time, I haven’t been able to forget you…”

“Slap!” Black Snake’s long tail appeared instantly, mercilessly slapping him across the face. “Idiot! Don’t you dare come looking for me again!”

With that, he stormed off in a rage.

The several disciples from Wenjian Peak looked at each other, speechless.

After a while, one disciple sighed, “I told you that snake couldn’t be trusted…”

“Such hindsight!” The other disciples angrily bombarded him.

“How about we find his brother, that bird?” someone suggested. “Fishing requires bait, after all, and weak spirit demons are the best bait here.”

“But that nightingale’s talent is camouflage. It can make itself completely unnoticeable. Bringing him out wouldn’t attract anyone’s attention.” Another objected.

“Just paint him a bright color to make him stand out. Let’s ask Huang Wei.”

“Great idea.”

Feng Qingxiu and Ji Yunlai, both amused, wandered around for a while longer before finally returning to the flying peak.

Yan Zhao and Bai Shuixian came to ask him to keep an eye on the flying peaks, as they were going to find the Great Sage here to inquire about collecting Earth Essence.

Feng Qingxiu, of course, agreed readily. Then he asked his master, “What exactly is Earth Essence?”

Ji Yunlai carefully explained it to him.

Earth Essence is found in a tributary that splits from the Abyss and flows into the river here. The eerie underworld energy causes all sorts of fierce beasts to grow in the river, which are extremely numerous and violent. However, this energy also causes the occasional appearance of a grain of extremely black and heavy sand at the river bottom. Collecting this sand is incredibly difficult.

Such is the wonder of the world—these things that are useless to spirit demons are key to cultivating Cloud Talisman Dao Seeds. A single grain of this sand can sell for 5,000 spiritual stones in Kun-Lai. Powerful cultivators then make it into Cloud Talisman Dao Seeds, which can easily sell for 10,000 spiritual stones.

Kun-Lai once lost a Cloud Talisman Dao Seed, and it ended up being auctioned off at the Ten Thousand Immortal Conference in the Central Continent. The three major sects fought fiercely for it, and it eventually sold for more than 100,000 spiritual stones.

So, this expedition’s most important objective is to collect grains of Earth Essence. According to legend, this material was once used by Yu the Great to control floods. Just a tiny bit can fill valleys and mountains. Back then, Ji Yunlai also used the infinitely growing nature of Earth Essence to make Cloud Talisman Dao Seeds, which could be placed in a cultivator’s spiritual sea of consciousness and turned into a small world, cultivating alongside its owner. This solved the issue of weak foundations in cultivation.

“The spiritual sea of consciousness, what exactly is it? How can it hold an entire world?” Feng Qingxiu was filled with curiosity about this question. Although he could observe the spiritual sea of consciousness within his spiritual platform during meditation, his cultivation level was still too low to fully understand it.

“The spiritual platform is located at the center of the forehead, where the soul resides. It is the place where the human body connects with heaven and earth.” Ji Yunlai lightly tapped his apprentice’s forehead. “In cultivation, there’s a saying that the human body is a boat to cross the sea of suffering in the mortal world. This is because the human body aligns with the Dao, giving people a chance to attain eternal life. Although the spiritual platform occupies only a small space in the forehead, it can be expanded by the power of the soul.”

Feng Qingxiu understood some of this but had many more questions.

“Consider a storage pouch. It may appear small on the outside, but the space inside is vast. To further expand the space, wouldn’t you need better materials to support the spatial wards that hold the contents?” Ji Yunlai patiently explained.

Feng Qingxiu nodded. “Exactly.”

“The spiritual platform is the same. If you want to expand its space, your soul must be strong. There are legends of great masters from the ancient times, who could create entire worlds with a single flower or leaf. Our Peak Master Tu of Shenong Peak can create up to a thousand acres of spiritual fields, but even he is still far from that level.” Ji Yunlai patted his apprentice’s head.

“Master, since you’re a Human Immortal, have you ever planted a Cloud Talisman Dao Seed?” Feng Qingxiu asked curiously. After all, his master was Human Immortal.

“I…” Ji Yunlai was about to say no but stopped. Given his personality, if he were to have his people try something, he would definitely be the first to test it himself.

However, since awakening, he had not seen any trace of his spiritual fields within his sea of consciousness.  

The spiritual fields were bound to its owner; even if it could be passed on to someone else, it would damage their spiritual platform.  

But since awakening, he had not seen any trace of his spiritual fields within his sea of consciousness.  

So, where had his fields—or rather, his world—gone, and how large would it have been?  

…He would have to go back and investigate thoroughly.

***

On the Sword Peak, Peak Master An gazed from afar at the eerie city, feeling full of energy, confident she could take on ten Synthesis cultivators at once: “It seems the people in that city have changed! We can go fishing now. Qiao Qiao, come, give me makeup that makes me look like a delicate young girl.”  

Qiao Long was unmoved: “Did you forget? Last time, after you chased that ancient spirit demon’s blood for ten thousand miles and killed him here, they all recognize your scent.”  

An Xian was instantly displeased: “Can’t we rob people happily anymore? Fine, Qiao Qiao, you dress as a girl, and I’ll dress as a guy. I refuse to believe it won’t work!”  

You Bazhua: “If you want to fight, just go. Why come up with so many excuses?”  

An Xian glanced at him disdainfully: “Useless trash that can’t even fight me should shut up! Or else come fight me.”  

You Bazhua turned and walked away.

Thus, only the master and apprentice remained on the peak.

An Xian’s eyes suddenly twitched as she stared into the distance: “The people from Ziyun Dao haven’t come to pay ransom for the captives yet, right? Look at those useless people from Medicine Peak; they actually let a captive escape…”  

“Luo Chi? He paid his ransom himself.” Qiao Long gave her a helpless look. “I just went to Medicine Peak to exchange for some elixirs to mask your scent. Let me do your makeup.”  

“When he was caught, wasn’t he already searched? How did he still have money to ransom himself?” An Xian sat down in front of Qiao Long, her gaze never leaving the captive, as if trying to figure out where the money was hidden.  

“He used a detoxification technique that neutralizes the properties of poisons. Guan Yuli is a kind person and appraised it at a high price. Not only did he allow him to pay his own ransom, but he also gave him extra resources. Now he’s staying with the unaffiliated cultivators on the flying peak for the expedition.” Qiao Long deftly styled her hair into a youthful bun and took out a powder box. “Close your eyes!”  

An Xian closed her eyes, allowing her apprentice to apply the makeup: “Qiao Qiao, after we’re done robbing, I plan to go to the Black Witchlands. You don’t need to come with me.”  

Qiao Long’s fingers paused: “There are still things on the Sword Peak to take care of. There’s no rush. The things you gave to Bai Yue aren’t much; I know that.”  

“I promised Yang Fuyin certain things, and I can’t delay giving it to him forever.” An Xian smiled lightly, “The trials of knife mountains and fire seas, I always have to try them.”  

Qiao Long finished the final touches of the makeup, coldly standing up: “Do as you wish.”  

“Don’t be angry,” An Xian took out a small hand mirror and, satisfied with the delicate appearance in the reflection, casually said, “You know that the thrill of walking between life and death is my favorite. What’s the point of idle cultivation every day?”  

“You don’t need my permission,” Qiao Long said indifferently. “An expedition is meant to explore unknown regions and seek new spiritual treasures, which is your duty as a peak master.”  

“You’re so heartless…”  

An Xian felt a wave of sadness.  

Qiao Long glanced at her, casually remarking: “The Cloud Talisman Dao Seed that Sect Leader gave you, did you store it in that place?”  

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

“Yes…” An Xian abruptly stopped, her face showing suspicion. After a long pause, she finally said softly, “Nothing escapes you. But Qiao Qiao, prying into things you shouldn’t know comes with consequences!”  

“I’m just confused. Why did Sect Leader give his spiritual world to you?” Qiao Long couldn’t understand. “What is your relationship?” 

If you would like to show some ♡  then please consider supporting this translator! ლ(⌒εー)ლ

This answer caused Madam Guan’s hand, which was holding the needle, to pause slightly. It wasn’t out of fear of Jietian Dao. After all, that sect occupies the northeastern part of the Central Continent, which is more than a hundred thousand miles away from here. Besides, they had no qualms about capturing even the Grand Elder of Ziyun Dao, so capturing a second-generation cultivator wasn’t really a big deal.

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

The issue was more about Jietian Dao’s sect leader, Cheng Qiuyue, who, in recent years, had pursued a strategy of forming distant alliances while attacking closer rivals. Among the three high sects, she had not made any major moves against Kun-Lai. She was also known for her chivalrous reputation, acting fairly and thoroughly. In a Central  Continent increasingly embroiled in conflicts due to dwindling resources, she stood as a rare example of integrity, governing her realm without the chaos and bullying found in other places.

Therefore, it didn’t seem necessary to sour relations with Jietian Dao over such a minor issue. Small private disputes were one thing, but an all-out war was something else entirely.

He reported the matter to the elders and asked the young man why he had teamed up with Ziyun Dao.

Wasn’t staying alive better? Why choose the path of destruction?

The captive was silent for a moment before replying calmly, “I was merely trying to save an old acquaintance when I was injured by an formless sword energy.”

Guan Yuli immediately remembered that during the previous conflict with Ziyun Dao, Senior Brother Feng Qingxiu had gravely injured a Nascent Soul cultivator with a single strike of sword energy. The injured cultivator was then sold to Qingnu Peak for a high price, where he was treated for a day. After Elder Yan agreed to give Ziyun Dao’s Synthesis stage Elder Yan to Qingnu, Qingnu, being overwhelmed with work, passed the injured Nascent Soul cultivator along—was that him?

If what he said was true, then he really was unlucky.

Senior Brother Feng’s formless sword energy was notoriously known for breaking through all incantations and artifacts, making it the nemesis of all spiritual artifacts.

This second-generation cultivator had likely been quite confident at the time, thinking that even if he couldn’t help much, at worst he could run and protect himself. But the moment Senior Brother Feng noticed someone lurking around the battlefield, he wouldn’t have wasted any words and would have immediately struck with his sword…

“Your name?” Guan Yuli asked.

“Luo Chi,” the prisoner replied calmly.

Soon, Elder Yan arrived. The distance between flying peaks was quite short, and Kun-Lai’s elders were not ones to put on airs.

After some questioning, Elder Yan nodded and said, “Treat him well. Once he’s healed and pays his fees, he can leave.”

Then he turned and left.

A cultivator with some background was nothing special. According to Kun-Lai’s rules, no exceptions were needed. After all, even though the disciples of Medicine Peak, Pill, and Poison Peak liked to stir up trouble, they never caused any deaths.

Guan Yuli instantly understood the meaning behind it and nodded, signaling that he got the message.

Medicine Peak’s medical fees… they could be outrageously expensive.

The captive, naturally, overheard this. Over the past few days on the flying peak, his understanding of the world had expanded significantly. After a brief silence, he suddenly said, “I am willing to swear a heart demon oath, promising that while captured in Kun-Lai, I will harbor no thoughts of escape or resistance. May I join the unaffiliated cultivators among the expedition?”

Guan Yuli was stunned. “You’re the son of a sect leader! The high sects aren’t that poor, are they?”

Jietian Dao, being one of the three high sects, surely had its share of resources.

The captive fell silent again before finally saying, “Not exactly poor… I just refused an arranged marriage, so…”

An ancient cultivator from the Taixu Sect had predicted that he would face imprisonment this year—either a prison of love or a physical prison. After a brief internal struggle, he chose to flee to foreign lands to escape the love tribulation. A physical prison would eventually end, but a love prison could be endless.

“Who’s forcing you into marriage?” Madam Guan was a little surprised.

The captive just shook his head slightly, not wanting to discuss the matter further.

Madam Guan gave him a sympathetic look. He had witnessed firsthand the pressure of being forced into marriage. He himself, being a bamboo spirit demon, didn’t rely on pollen for reproduction, but for spirit demons like You Jia or Huang Wei, who were solitary by nature and not interested in reproducing, this was seen as heresy by beast-type spirit demon clans, who loved both eating and reproducing.

The ideological conflict between the younger and older generations of ordinary spirit demon clans was becoming an increasingly troublesome issue in Kun-Lai.

“Then you’ll have to stay in Kun-Lai for a while. The environment here won’t be as good as in your sect,” Guan Yuli said regretfully.

“No,” the captive said dismissively. “Aside from the occasional disturbances, both the spiritual energy and spiritual resources here are far superior to those in the various sects of the Central Continent.”

“The Central Continent can’t be that lacking in spiritual resources, right?” It is the most prosperous place for the human race after all, and Guan Yuli hadn’t thought of it being otherwise.

“If there were just one sect of cultivators, it would naturally be sufficient. And if it’s only the three major sects, it would still be enough,” the captive shook his head slightly, recalling the current tense situation in the Central Continent. “But with the three major sects, thirty-six middle sects, over nine thousand minor sects, and countless scattered unaffiliated cultivators, it will inevitably be lacking.”

That’s why he hadn’t gone to the other continents but had come to the Outlands to see if there were any other opportunities for breakthroughs.

“Then why not reduce the number of disciples?” Madam Guan, who grew up in Kun-Lai, was a little curious about the Central Continent. In Kun-Lai, when there isn’t enough spiritual rice and spiritual resources for the Foundation Establishment disciples, the difficulty of the outer sect exams inevitably increases, which will allow some substandard disciples to flow to smaller sects.

“Then who would be the first to reduce?” The captive gently shook his head. “If the combat power within the sect is insufficient, even a slight misstep could lead to being swallowed by other sects. Even if your Kun-Lai is far away in the Western Continent, aren’t you always on guard?”

The Western Continent is indeed too far from the prosperous lands of the human race, so far that the larger powers can hardly reach it. However, this success didn’t come easily. Kun-Lai also experienced a setback in the Central Continent before it was reborn from the ashes in the Western Continent. Even now, the remains of Kun-Lai within the Taiqing Sect’s domain of influence is a precious territory that the Taiqing Sect has sent people to excavate several times. Occasionally, manuscripts of talisman and warding methods by the Xing Dao Master would circulate in the Central Continent, provoking the three major sects to take action to snatch the treasure for themselves.

“I understand. However, regarding your request, let’s discuss it after the poison in your system is resolved. Qingnu is busy and will be here shortly.” Madam Guan nodded, seeming to think of some other solution. He picked up a square needle as thick as a long chopstick and stabbed it into his hand along the Shaoyang Meridian.

The sensation was too intoxicating. The captive considered his tolerance and recalled the feeling he had when being tormented by Qingnu. He shook his hand, and the petrification receded, revealing a wrist as flawless as jade.

Madam Guan was stunned.

“You’ve already healed it. I shouldn’t need to pay too much for it, right?” the captive asked softly.

There was no choice; with the declining morals of society, if one didn’t play some tricks, everyone would struggle to survive.

***

Ji Yunlai smiled in amusement. This is what an expedition is like—it can mature the disciples both mentally and physically at a rapid pace.

Shaking his head, he withdrew his gaze, looking at his apprentice who had returned to normal and no longer blushed, then glanced at the shadow that had settled down to the point of being indistinguishable from any other ordinary shadow, feeling a bit regretful.

Xiao Qing used to be so playful; now he doesn’t even want to play with me…

Feeling his master’s soulful gaze, Feng Qingxiu suddenly turned around, a look of vigilance on his face. “What do you want to do now?”

…The older his apprentice got, the less obedient he became. Ji Yunlai felt a sense of sadness.

In the following days, Feng Qingxiu’s life continued as usual: handling various matters on the peak, practicing swordsmanship, cultivating, meditating, and occasionally being teased by his master.

They encountered several waves of beast demons along the way, and various flying peaks suffered some minor injuries, but the newbies, having gone through the baptism of these battles, were now nearly accustomed to the rhythm and were no longer as flustered as they were at the beginning.

They also occasionally searched below the Abyss, and with Ji Yunlai watching over them, not many people fell into the Nine Abyss this time.

Compared to previous losses, these could be considered negligible.

For a time, the mountain veins of the various flying peaks were filled with many valuable items.

After stopping several times along the way, about twenty days after leaving Ziyun Dao City, a strange city appeared on the distant horizon.

It was a city amidst the sea of clouds, where enormous beast demons occasionally flew out, illuminated by the distant sunset, appearing grand and awe-inspiring.

The buildings were not square houses built by humans but various caves scattered within stone forests, with the spaces between them being very sparse, indicating territory belonging to the beast demons.

As the flying peaks approached, they discovered that the city was not actually in the sea of clouds but on top of a high mountain. This mountain was exceptionally bizarre in appearance, with a square shape and cliffs thousands of meters high on all sides, looking as though it had been cut flat with an axe.

“It looks like a large slice of cake thrown down by the heavens,” Ji Yunlai commented.

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

However, today seemed particularly quiet, with few disciples coming out to watch. Ji Yunlai turned around and found his apprentice still engrossed in some information recorded in a jade tablet for quite some time.

“What are you looking at?” the master asked his apprentice.

“A book given by Senior Brother Yang.” Feng Qingxiu’s ears turned slightly red as he casually crushed the jade tablet, his teeth clenched slightly. “With such a thoughtful senior brother, I should give back something as well.”

If you would like to show some ♡  then please consider supporting this translator! ლ(⌒εー)ლ

The young man, dragged out by Feng Qingxiu, practically fell to his knees. After much effort in calming him down, he finally managed to send him on his way.

Then Feng Qingxiu handed his master a storage pouch.

It was the most standard cultivator’s storage pouch from Kun-Lai, made with the Qiankun Brocade from Yuzhi Peak. When opened, its mouth was one meter wide, but when unused, it could be tightened and hung conveniently at the waist.

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

Ji Yunlai rejected the pouch, offering a well-reasoned explanation: “If I use this, Xiao Qing, I fear even you wouldn’t be able to stand it.”

After all, he was the head of the sect. If he were to use anything, it should be a storage ring or bracelet, something more fitting of his status.

Feng Qingxiu imagined his master carrying around the pouch, catching little frogs—no, catching monsters—and was instantly struck by the absurdity. In the end, he had no choice but to continue enduring his master’s habit of casually tossing items into his pouch.

His master only picked valuable items, and at an incredible speed, which prompted Feng Qingxiu to whisper, “Master, if you grab everything, the ordinary disciples will cry. It’s not easy for them either…”

Ji Yunlai felt his disciple’s words made some sense, so he toyed with the items for a while before throwing them over to the other disciples nearby.

By the end of the day, nearly every disciple had reaped great rewards and was beaming with joy, clearly thrilled.

Around thirty disciples had fallen into the Abyss during the day, but Ji Yunlai had pulled them all out, proving just how dangerous this part of the Outlands truly was.

Nearly a hundred disciples were seriously injured. The creatures here were not easy to deal with, and despite teamwork and assistance, losses were inevitable.

The healers from Qingnu Peak were short on hands, so they called for help from the disciples of Poison Peak and Pill Peak. They even hired a few temporary workers from Yuzhi Peak to administer acupuncture as requested.

Thus, the wails and cries on Zhuiyun Peak began to fill the air once again, making it sound like a haunted place.

After counting the disciples, the flying peaks rose again, moving along the Abyss to find the next area dense with spiritual creatures.

Feng Qingxiu took stock of his gains. By now, he no longer marveled at the amount of wealth he’d acquired—following his master, money was simply no longer a concern.

At that moment, Deputy Peak Master You approached to trade for some of the Xuanyang Fish he had collected.

This was Feng Qingxiu’s first time seeing Deputy Peak Master You in human form. He looked strikingly similar to You Jia, with a coldly handsome face, but there was an added maturity and calm that made his charm overwhelming. You would never guess that he was at the bottom of the food chain among the peak masters. In a deep, magnetic voice, he explained that squids needed a particular substance found in these small fish, which could significantly extend their lifespan. While shrimp and sea fish contained trace amounts, a single one of these Xuanyang Fish had enough to last him a hundred years of feasting on sea fish.

Feng Qingxiu gave him the fish.

In exchange, Deputy Peak Master You left behind three tentacles.

Each one was as thick as a barrel and 30 meters long. No pot was big enough to cook them.

But that clearly wasn’t an issue.

Soon enough, people flocked to his flying peak, and he practically sold the squid tentacles by weight.

Before long, the entire peak was filled with the aroma of grilled squid, sizzled squid, spicy squid, and other delicious dishes.

When Senior Brother Yang came to buy some squid tentacle, he also gave Feng Qingxiu a bag of seasoning and a jar of fine wine, saying that the wine was the perfect pairing for squid tentacles.

Ji Yunlai, feeling a bit nostalgic, remembered his own days of cultivation in the wilderness, when he often grilled food. So, summoning some true spiritual fire in his hand, he pulled his apprentice into the courtyard to start grilling squid skewers.

Soon, both master and apprentice had large squid skewers in hand, enjoying a few sips of wine in the courtyard, eating quite a bit.

It was incredibly delicious, far surpassing the tentacles of You Jia.

The wine was called Five-Grain Wine, brewed from five types of spiritual rice. It had a long finish and a rich, fragrant taste. Ji Yunlai didn’t get drunk, being only a fragment of spiritual consciousness, but to his surprise, Xiao Qing, after only a few cups, declared himself down for the count.

Ji Yunlai realized then that his little apprentice, who had been at Kun-Lai since he was young and had worked so diligently to reach his current cultivation level, likely hadn’t had much experience drinking. It made perfect sense for him to have a low tolerance.

So, he walked over, lifted his apprentice, and carried him back to his room.

As he tucked him in, his apprentice suddenly reached out and grabbed his arm, refusing to let go.

Ji Yunlai froze for a moment, as if something stirred in his memory, but then it vanished.

He gently stroked his apprentice’s flawless profile. His long eyelashes cast thick shadows in the moonlight, and his expression was relaxed and content, as though he were dreaming of something pleasant. His usual stern seriousness was nowhere to be seen, replaced entirely with a faint smile.

A subtle sense of satisfaction rose within Ji Yunlai’s heart, spreading like ripples across his chest.

It felt as though some long-held regret had been completely and utterly fulfilled in that instant.

He couldn’t help but smile softly.

What should he do? It seemed he was growing more and more fond of Xiao Qing.

***

The next morning, when Feng Qingxiu woke up, he saw his master sitting at the bedside.

And his own hand tightly clutching his master’s.

Oh heavens!!!!

His worldview!!!

Feng Qingxiu felt like he needed to seriously reevaluate his entire outlook.

His master, looking at Xiao Qing’s flustered expression, smiled and said, “What’s wrong? Does my apprentice not wish to see his master first thing in the morning?”

Feng Qingxiu silently turned his head, facing away from him.

Ji Yunlai first looked at his apprentice’s indifferent expression, then glanced at the apprentice’s shadow, which was shyly covering its face. He smiled, tempted to tease his apprentice further, but not wanting to provoke him any more. With a soft laugh, he quietly left.

Outside the courtyard, many injured disciples were being helped back to their own peaks by their peers, while the medical cultivators from Qingnu Peak were trying hard to keep them.

“Your injury hasn’t fully healed yet, you should stay for another day of observation…” a female medical cultivator said gently.

“The bones in my body have already been set, I can still walk with a little help. You stay busy, I won’t trouble you anymore,” said the sword cultivator, who was covered head to toe in bandages, as he practically flew away. “If I stay any longer, I’ll end up with heart demons!”

“What kind of cultivator doesn’t have heart demons?” the female medical cultivator grumbled, but the injured cultivators passing by seemed to have a completely different idea. Anyone who could still breathe, even those barely just back from the brink of death, crawled away if they had to.

The female medical cultivator sighed and said to the captive beside her, “At least you are better, you won’t leave us… they’re all cowards!”

The captive was silent for a moment before nodding faintly in agreement. “Indeed, cowards, all of them.”

“Your hand has turned to stone quite severely. I’ll have to get Madam Guan to take a look. That brat from Poison Peak—honestly, if she can’t cure it, what’s she doing poisoning people with it?” The female medical cultivator led him to the courtyard of Qingnu.

“It’s my own incompetence, it has nothing to do with her,” the captive said calmly, looking at his arm, which had turned to stone up to the shoulder.

Soon, Guan Yuli walked out of the room.

The female medical cultivator explained the situation, “He’s been poisoned with the petrification poison from Poison Peak, but for some reason, I haven’t been able to cure it. I’ve tried the Six Meridian Needles, Soul-Transmitting Needles, Taiyin Needles, and the Taiqing Sixty-Nine Needles, but none of them worked.”

Madam Guan pricked him with a needle to sense the flow of true essence, then raised his head. “You’re not from Ziyun Dao, are you?”

“Disciple of Jietian Dao,” the captive replied simply.

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

“Jietian Dao of the three major sects?” Guan Yuli pulled the needle out, frowning. “This is a combined issue of pill poison. I can’t handle it alone. We’ll need to consult with Qingnu, Poison Peak, and Pill Peak. How did a disciple of Jietian Dao end up in Ziyun Dao? Wait a moment—this is Nine-Colored True Essence!”

Guan Yuli suddenly looked up. “Who is Sect Leader Cheng Qiuyue of Jietian Dao to you?”

Ziyun Dao, Jietian Dao, Taiqing Sect—none of them were easy to deal with.

“My mother,” the captive said.

If you would like to show some ♡  then please consider supporting this translator! ლ(⌒εー)ლ

Seven days after leaving Ziyun Dao City, Zhuiyun Peak, along with the other flying peaks, crossed the edge of a vast plain and saw a huge chasm. 

It looked like an abyss leading directly to the underworld, or a crack in the earth, stretching endlessly below, filled with darkness. Just looking from afar, it seemed as if it could pull a person’s soul down into its depths. 

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

The massive chasm extended far, as though dividing this place from the world beyond. The newbies on the flying peaks were all in awe of this grand natural wonder. This was the moment when the battle-hardened senior disciples would step in and explain things. This position of clearing up confusion for the younger disciples was always highly coveted. A Golden Core disciple stood on the cliff of their flying peak, full of pride, explaining to the surrounding junior disciples: “See that? That’s the Northern Abyss, one of the Nine Abyss. It’s said to be a passage to the underworld. If you go down there, you’ll see the Yellow Springs, and even a drop will drag you into the River of Forgetfulness, sending you into the cycles of reincarnation.”

“Has anyone gone down there?” a disciple immediately asked curiously.

“I don’t know if anyone’s gone down, but no one’s ever come back up,” the senior brother shook his head dramatically. “That place is too mysterious. Our flying peak can’t even fly directly across it; we’d be pulled down if we tried. Normally, it only takes eight days to reach Yun Capital, but because of this big chasm, we have to go around. However, there are many evil spirits and monsters down below that occasionally climb out. They look all sorts of strange, and they die as soon as they’re exposed to sunlight…”

“Are they valuable?” another disciple interrupted, and the others eagerly nodded in agreement, their interest clearly focused on profit rather than appearance. They were all excited. “The demons, monsters and spirits manual says there’s a thing called Abyssal Snail that’s really expensive—is that true?”

The senior brother gave the interrupter a dissatisfied glance before coldly snorting, “There’s all sorts of junk down there, and snails come in different types. But if you’re talking about something valuable, there’s a type of snail that carries extreme Yin energy, called the Taiyin Snail, which is indeed expensive. Back in the day, someone caught a small one. After our Sect Leader appraised it, it was found to contain a drop of pure soul essence. You know what that means.”

“Wow…” All the disciples were filled with longing. Pure soul essence was something that could give birth to true spirits. It could instantly turn spiritual artifacts into sentient spiritual treasures, or even be used to create a body double. It was essentially the key to having multiple lives! If they could catch one, they’d be set for life.

The senior brother couldn’t help but also feel a bit envious, sighing, “This kind of thing is mostly dependent on luck. There are other places of the Nine Abyss we’ll pass through too, but only a few Taiyin Snails have ever been found. You need to have a broader perspective. There are also other spirits and demons with venomous effects such as soul poison. Poison Peak loves to collect this poison in particular, and a single drop can fetch three thousand spiritual stones…”

“Wow!” The young disciples were once again in awe.

“But only people from Poison Peak can capture those. If we try, and our souls get contaminated, we wouldn’t even make it to Qingnu in time to be saved,” the senior brother warned. Seeing their crestfallen faces, he smirked inwardly, “There’s also a kind of small white fish that occasionally appears. It has a black stripe on its back, and we call it the Xuanyang Fish. Members of the sea clans love to eat them. If you catch one, Deputy Peak Master You will trade three of his tentacles for it.”

“Heavens!!” The young disciples exclaimed in shock again.

“But if you see this fish, don’t say a word. Just run. That thing is so fast, even a Nascent Soul cultivator’s divine sense can’t catch it. Without a Demigod or Synthesis stage cultivator, touching it would leave a hole in you,” the senior brother expertly doused their enthusiasm, continuing, “There are other little things too. When the time comes, we’ll stop a few times, and you can pick up small things. Just remember, don’t touch anything with your bare hands.”

“Got it!” The disciples were still buzzing with excitement.

Soon, the flying peaks began to stop along the edge of the giant chasm. 

The elders on the peaks emerged, sternly warning, “The most important thing is, under no circumstances should you get too close to the Nine Abysses. If you lose control of your mind and jump in, no one will be able to save you.”

“We know,” the disciples replied, mostly indifferent, already taking out their identification booklets and discussing what would be best to collect. 

The elders shook their heads in exasperation—some lessons could only be learned through experience.

Feng Qingxiu was among the expedition newbies. As he followed the crowd toward the chasm’s edge, he noticed that under the sunlight, the grass on the ground was slightly black, with icy dew on the tips of the leaves.

Underneath the dense and eerie moss and grass, occasionally some strange creatures would appear. Only when the grass was parted to let in sunlight would these creatures leap out, startled.

Kun-Lai had long prepared special gloves and pouches for this purpose.

A group of well-dressed female cultivators, carrying baskets full of gloves and pouches, began renting them out. The gloves had a special glow, but they looked rather worn, as if they’d been used for hundreds of years and were starting to fade.

You Jia requested eight pairs but insisted on paying for only one. A stalemate ensued.

Finally, a female cultivator draped in fine robes stepped forward, holding a jade shuttle, and suggested they could chop off two of his hands, which would be enough to only pay for one set.

So, You Jia paid for four sets and left.

Feng Qingxiu rented a set and found that the gloves were woven without any visible seams. When he put them on, the threads seemed to come alive, spreading up his arms.

“Yuzhi Peak has new products again,” You Jia said beside Feng Qingxiu.

“They look quite old,” Feng Qingxiu remarked with some confusion. Upon closer inspection, however, he was captivated by the craftsmanship. The holes and patches seemed to form part of a larger pattern, and the more he looked, the more impressive they appeared. He was suddenly eager to learn the technique and perhaps make a set for his master as a gift.

“Yuzhi Peak is currently into retro styles,” You Jia couldn’t understand this particular aesthetic. “They change trends every year. Don’t mind them. They’re like Shennong Peak, every time out on expeditions they are basically only tagging along, only interested in raising the prices of their materials. Hmph!”

“The sharp tongues of the Poor Peak are sharper than their swords!” scoffed the gorgeously dressed female cultivator overhearing their complaints. “If you’re so capable, go fight naked. Then your clothes won’t get torn, and you won’t need to come to us to buy more.”

“You only charge your spider spirit demons the price of one set, even though they have eight legs. Why should I pay four times as much and for worse fabric?” You Jia shot back angrily.

“If you dare to hit me, I’ll quadruple the price,” the woman snorted coldly, “If you’re not satisfied, why don’t you go weave it yourself?”

In terms of status, the resentment from Yuzhi Peak was just as strong as that of Shennong Peak.

“Do you dare to fight me?”

Seeing that a real fight was about to break out, Feng Qingxiu quickly dragged You Jia away.

Given the opportunity to back down, You Jia immediately started grabbing at everything within reach, like someone gathering sea products on a beach. In a radius of hundreds of meters, not a single item was left behind.

Feng Qingxiu sighed helplessly and had no choice but to distance himself from him.

His master stood beside him, holding a small white fish with a black streak along its back. After toying with it for a moment, he tossed it into Xiao Qing’s pouch.

“Master, this is too valuable…” Feng Qingxiu felt overwhelmed.

But his master, completely at ease, cheerfully patted his apprentice’s head. With great interest, he reached into the air and pinched a tiny white shell, no bigger than a fingertip. After playing with it for a bit, he also tossed it into Xiao Qing’s pouch. The cold aura emitting from the shell was so intense that a layer of ice instantly formed over the pouch.

Forget it… Feng Qingxiu gave up and continued searching under the tall grass and moss for other useful items.

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

A little while later, he suddenly heard a commotion in the distance, “Someone fell down—!”

Feng Qingxiu’s heart skipped a beat, and just as he was about to look up, he saw his master casually reach out into the air. In his hand was a terrified boy, being held up by the scruff of his neck. Ji Yunlai glanced at him with a bored expression, and then carelessly tossed him into Xiao Qing’s pouch.

Feng Qingxiu: “…”

If you would like to show some ♡  then please consider supporting this translator! ლ(⌒εー)ლ

On the flying peak of Pill Peak, alchemical smoke swirled amidst the drizzle.

Inside the grand hall, a stern looking young man silently looked at the letter given to him during his visit to see Qiu Yuansheng, then passed it to the other disciples present. 

The letter had already been opened by the Qingnu, detailing the staffing matters on the peak after his departure. As Qiu Yuansheng’s deputy, he should have been questioned, but given the unrest at Pill Peak, it was not advisable to stir up more trouble. Since it had been concluded that he wasn’t aware of Qiu Yuansheng’s actions, he was temporarily assigned to lead the Pill branch.

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

He still found it hard to believe that Senior Brother Qiu could be that kind of person. Senior Brother Qiu was always so kind and gentle, exceptionally gifted in the art of pill alchemy, and diligent in teaching them. Pill Peak’s success in suppressing the Medicine, Poison, and Acupuncture branches was largely due to him—if not entirely, at least nine-tenths of it was his credit.

How could he be a traitor…

However, he quickly composed himself. Once they returned to Kun-Lai, with the elders of Pill Peak backing him, as long as Senior Brother Qiu was innocent, they would surely clear his name.

For now, he needed to focus on leading the Pill branch well, making sure that it wasn’t suppressed by Qingnu Peak.

The other two junior brothers, after reading the letter, were equally heavy-hearted.

“This matter can only be dealt with once we return,” they both concluded.

“Qingnu Peak has issued a new challenge today: to break down our pill poison, while our task is to create a poison that the Medicine Peak cannot cure, and resolve the Poison Peak’s latest toxin. Additionally, today’s medicinal pills must be more effective than those from Medicine Peak,” he calmly asked the other two, “Any issues?”

“No problem. In recent years, our Pill Peak has flourished, and our talented disciples far outnumber those of Qingnu Peak,” one junior brother replied calmly.

“Then let’s begin the challenge.” With a wave of his hand, a small alchemy furnace flew out, floating in the air.

The disciples all performed their techniques.

In a few moments, a hundred or so pills, in four colors—green, white, black, and red—smooth as jade beads, slid out of the furnace and into the prepared jade trays.

The three called over the disciples, distributing the four types of pills.

Each Pil Peak disciple received four pills.

They then summoned their captives, smiling as they said, “Let’s have a duel. If you win, you won’t have to stay at Pill Peak for the next three days.”

The captives were cautious, eyeing the two pills in front of them with suspicion. “How do we duel?”

“There are two pills here: one for you, one for me. Whoever consumes the problematic one loses,” the disciples smiled, as if they were discussing something as simple as today’s meal, “You can choose first.”

“And what if both are problematic?” The captives remained skeptical.

“Stop blabbering so much. If you don’t eat it, I’ll make you eat both!” The Pill Peak disciple’s smile was as flawless and unyielding as porcelain.

***

“Poison is not about being the most deadly,” warned the eldest senior brother of Poison Peak, dressed in his black robe adorned with jellyfish patterns. “The most lethal poisons are precious. We have two strategies: one that kills slowly and subtly, and one that acts quickly, knocking the enemy down at once. For combat, I recommend the latter—even if Pill Peak’s antidote pills try to counter us daily, it won’t matter. On the battlefield, one small shift, and they’re dead before they have time to take an antidote pill.”

“Then why does Senior Brother still make us buy antidote pills?” a little girl with her hair in a bun and wearing an identical black robe asked.

“Because they’re cheap! They can neutralize most poisons and are better than carrying six hundred antidotes around. Besides, if any of you fools take the wrong antidote, do you want to end up in the hands of the Qingnu?” The eldest senior brother scolded her.

“Good point!” The other disciples applauded.

“Alright, now that we’ve discussed poison, let’s talk about venomous insencts. It’s a new subject for us and can’t compare to the southern sects that specialize in it. So we’ll use this opportunity during the expedition. The next stop is near Nine Abyss Pass, where there’s a remnant of the Wu tribe. We can consult them.” The eldest senior disciple instructed, “Different venomous insects create drastically different effects, and don’t be fooled by all that nonsense about love insects… Stay serious, especially you, little junior sister!”

The little girl quickly corrected her disinterested expression and nodded obediently, asking, “Will the Wu tribe teach us?”

“They desperately need salt. We’ve prepared two hundred pounds of salt for this trip, which is more than enough to acquire all their best breeds.” Poison Peak’s eldest senior brother replied confidently.

“Two hundred pounds?” The girl was stunned. That was remarkably little. The salt fields of Haijing City could produce a hundred thousand pounds a day, and in recent years, as the rivers transported salt to the Western Continent nations, it had become so cheap that every household could afford it. She remembered hearing before she joined Kun-Lai that the abundance of salt had even driven the price of dried goods down, angering the sea clans who had been calling for salt control.

“They don’t need much. This amount will last them a hundred years, and by the next time we come around, they’ll have something new for us. If they could leave that place, our Peak Master would’ve invited them to start a new branch at Kun-Lai long ago.” The eldest senior brother sighed, then returned to his stern demeanor, “Enough! Let’s set the challenge for today. We’ll need the captives.”

The elite disciples of Poison Peak quickly came up with their challenge and handed it out.

***

A while later, the little girl in black robes gently approached one of the captives, smiling as she said, “Let’s have a duel. If you win, you won’t have to stay at Poison Peak for the next three days.”

The captive didn’t say a word and immediately swung his sword.

The little girl was knocked down instantly, and the captive coldly said, “I won.”

“Why didn’t you follow the script?” The little girl almost burst into tears—her poison hadn’t even been released yet. Weren’t people supposed to hesitate a bit?

“Rookie!” The captive sneered, looking around at the other disciples ready to attack him. “Which peak is next?”

“Medicine Peak didn’t warn us about him,” the little girl muttered, biting her lip before forcing a smile, “You’re quite impressive. Even now you’re still surrounded by protective true essence and with an inner energy forming its own realm—ordinary poisons won’t affect you. But our Poison Peak has more than just that.”

The captive’s body swayed slightly before collapsing with a thud.

“I actually had to use march miasma,” the little girl grumbled, noting down the poison’s activation time before checking his pulse.

In the next second, the captive’s hand shot out like lightning, grabbing her throat.

He had been pretending, but he let go just as quickly. Merely touching her neck had caused his entire arm to petrify, the effect spreading upwards.

The little girl touched her neck, complaining, “You have too many tricks!”

***

“These captives are truly full of surprises,” Feng Qingxiu remarked, reviewing the various records with amusement.

Ji Yunlai chuckled softly beside him, “The Kun-Lai expedition is meant to help disciples grow and gain insight into the countless mysteries of this world. Speaking of which…”

He patted his apprentice’s head with a sigh, “Always staying by Xiao Qing’s side might be limiting your growth.”

“That’s not hard to solve,” Feng Qingxiu pointed to his chest, “Master, you can rest here.”

“How would I have any fun that way?” Ji Yunlai refused. This foreign land was far more interesting than the Western Continent—he hadn’t seen enough yet.

“So Master, you should continue having fun. Your apprentice can still protect himself,” Feng Qingxiu mercilessly exposed his master’s true intention and returned to reviewing the records of Zhuiyun Peak. These days, the captives from Ziyun Dao hadn’t been idle either. Fueled by a sense of “if I’m not having a good time, neither should you,” they’d gone to great lengths to cause trouble. There were numerous severe injuries, and several cases where their heads were nearly cracked open, but they were all saved in the end.

Ji Yunlai leaned over to see and was amazed at how incredibly advanced the medical cultivation techniques had become. While they didn’t have X-rays or advanced internal scanners like his old world, they had something that could be called a universal solution—true essence spiritual energy. This energy could be threaded like silk, inserted into the body for precise internal examinations, more accurate than any machine imaging. Not only that, but it could directly repair internal injuries without surgery. The only drawback was… it hurt a bit.

Just as Ji Yunlai was pondering this, he heard the voice of Qingnu giving instructions outside.

“Anesthetic? What for? Don’t you know that a little pain makes it easier to observe bodily reactions?” Qingnu scolded a disciple.

“But he can barely hold on…” a female disciple weakly responded.

“What do you think the spiritual energy ropes or beds on the peak are for? If you have to tie them down, do so. We’re not the Poison Peak—we don’t need to numb anyone. Do you have any idea how expensive their harmless anesthetic drugs are?” Qingnu replied.

“But won’t he develop heart demons?” the female disciple timidly asked.

“If you’re cultivating without any heart demons, what’s the point of cultivating?” Qingnu scoffed, “How do you think our reputation as the Medicine Peak spread?”

The fearsome reputation of Qingnu… The female disciple obediently nodded, “I understand.”

Ji Yunlai couldn’t help but laugh at this, but suddenly, he froze.

His apprentice was intently reviewing the reports, his face strikingly handsome, with a tall nose and flawless profile illuminated by the daylight. His black hair was neatly tied, and indeed he was quite the good-looking young man.

But the problem was… his apprentice’s shadow was currently snuggled up to his own shadow, happily tracing little circles with its fingers.

Ji Yunlai felt a slight twinge of suspicion in his heart, mixed with a curious sense of satisfaction. Tilting his head, he softly asked his apprentice, “Xiao Qing, do you think I’ve been too strict with you?”

His apprentice suddenly looked up, wearing an expression of “What are you talking about?”

“How could I possibly think that?” Feng Qingxiu replied, shocked.

Ji Yunlai’s peripheral vision caught the shadow on the ground shaking its head furiously. He smiled, “Just a casual question, don’t be alarmed.”

Feng Qingxiu gave his master a puzzled glance, then breathed a sigh of relief, though his eyes remained a bit distracted as they drifted back to the reports.

After a while, Ji Yunlai lowered his voice and spoke again, “Xiao Qing, I might have to leave soon.”

Feng Qingxiu was silent for a moment before quietly replying, “Master, with all your responsibilities, it’s only natural.”

The shadow, however, clung tightly to his own shadow, its disappointment evident.

“I’m just kidding,” Ji Yunlai patted his apprentice’s head.

“…” Feng Qingxiu wanted to scold him, but held back.

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

So it only reacts when emotions are at their peak…

Both Feng Qingxiu and his shadow shivered simultaneously.

Ji Yunlai watched as his apprentice’s shadow sulked off to the side, and he couldn’t help but chuckle.

It seemed he’d discovered one of Xiao Qing’s little secrets.

If you would like to show some ♡  then please consider supporting this translator! ლ(⌒εー)ლ