After killing the two members of the Xu and Tian families, the trace of ruthlessness on Xu Zitang’s face faded. Once she had steadied herself, she turned toward Xu Ziqing and said as she approached, “Thank you for lending a hand, Young Master. Xu Zitang is deeply grateful.”
Xu Ziqing shook his head. “You dealt with those two villains yourself. I did not really help much.”
Xu Zitang replied, “Whether it was those jade talismans or the defensive magical artifact, all of them required spiritual power to activate. Without your help, I would certainly have died here.”
Xu Ziqing smiled faintly and did not argue further. “Since you are safe now, Miss, I will take my leave.”
Xu Zitang was slightly surprised. She had assumed he had recognized her background and intervened because of it, but now it seemed that might not be the case. She immediately said, “Please wait, Young Master.” After a pause, she asked, “May I know which family you belong to? Once I return, I can report this to my elder brother so that we may visit and thank you properly.” As for the fact that his clothing was disheveled and rather improper, she did not mention it.
Xu Ziqing said, “There is no need, Miss. It was only a small effort.”
Xu Zitang was someone who clearly distinguished gratitude from grievance. This man was only at the seventh layer of Qi Refinement. His escape technique might be wondrous, but how could that guarantee his safety? Yet he had still been willing to step forward and help her. Even if he himself claimed he had done little, Xu Zitang had already accepted that he had saved her life.
Seeing that Xu Ziqing intended to leave, she said with a trace of annoyance, “Brother, if you refuse even to give your name, are you looking down on me?”
Xu Ziqing had only ever known Xu Zitang as cold as frost. Why was she suddenly so determined to get to the bottom of this? With no better option, he could only say, “Miss Zitang, I am also a member of the Xu family. There is no need to ask further.”
Xu Zitang was astonished. “I know all the clan brothers whose cultivation is similar to yours, but…” She studied him coolly. Those clan brothers were all proud and arrogant, whereas this man was modest and mild, with not the slightest resemblance to any of them. Yet if he meant to lie, there was no reason for him to invoke the Xu family, so he presumably had some difficulty he could not speak of.
Since he was her benefactor and unwilling to reveal himself, Xu Zitang did not wish to press him too hard. She said, “In that case, I will ask no more. We have less than two hours before we must leave the secret realm. Why not come with me, Brother? We can look out for one another.”
Since she had stopped questioning him, Xu Ziqing could hardly continue refusing, so he agreed. Afterward, Xu Zitang searched the two corpses and took their storage pouches. She naturally asked whether Xu Ziqing wanted any share, but he declined.
The two of them stopped searching for treasures and simply continued on their way, exchanging a few words from time to time. Xu Ziqing had not been outside for five years, so he inevitably steered the conversation toward events in the outside world. Although Xu Zitang found it strange that he knew so little of current affairs, she was willing to explain them in repayment for his help. By the end, she had formed a faint suspicion of her own, but kept it to herself and did not ask.
Only then did Xu Ziqing learn that quite a number of major events had taken place during those five years.
First, because of the previous expedition into the secret realm, all five great families had lost many outstanding disciples. Afterward, the Xu family drew considerable criticism because it had suffered the fewest losses.
The Tian family then declared war on the Xu family. They not only obstructed Xu businesses from every direction, but also dispatched patrol teams to kill Xu disciples carrying out missions outside the clan. At gatherings involving the five families, they opposed the Xu family at every turn. Although the other three families disliked the Tian family’s aggressive behavior, they did not side with the Xu family either. Instead, whenever the two sides clashed, they occasionally reached in to seize a little advantage for themselves.
Originally, the Xu and Tian families were roughly equal in strength, but the Tian family suddenly began using a pill called the Spirit-Boosting Pill. Any cultivator above the fifth layer of Qi Refinement but below Foundation Establishment who took it would immediately have their cultivation surge by at least one layer and at most two. If a ninth-layer Qi Refinement cultivator took it, their strength could even approach Foundation Establishment for a short time. Its effect was astonishing. As for drawbacks, the medicinal effect disappeared after four hours, after which the cultivator would be weakened for three days. There were no other apparent ill effects.
With this pill, the Tian family gained a major advantage in its struggles with the Xu family. Their disciples carried one whenever they went out, and over time the Xu family lost quite a few promising members.
Eventually, Family Head Xu Zhengtian simply issued a kill order against the Tian family. From that point on, whenever members of the two families encountered each other outside, bloodshed followed without end. The Tian family had several ninth-layer Qi Refinement cultivators who wantonly slaughtered Xu disciples. Their strength was only slightly below that of Foundation Establishment cultivators, so how could ordinary disciples stand against them? Left with no choice, the Xu family kept only one or two Foundation Establishment cultivators behind to guard the clan and sent all the others out to protect the handful of disciples with the greatest potential.
Over these five years, the two families had thus formed a blood feud. For several hundred years to come, there would probably be no possibility of reconciliation.
Now that the Linyuan Secret Realm had opened again, the heads of the five families still had to cooperate as before. Yet the Tian family had grown far too arrogant of late, so the Luo, Meng, and Wei families jointly applied pressure and agreed that, among those three families, no disciples at or above the ninth layer of Qi Refinement would be allowed to enter the secret realm. Only then did the other disciples gain a little protection. As for geniuses like Xu Zitang, the elders and family heads had given them excellent magical artifacts specifically to preserve their lives.
Only after hearing this did Xu Ziqing understand why he had not encountered any Foundation Establishment cultivators inside the secret realm.
After explaining everything, Xu Zitang sighed. “The five families have controlled this secret realm for many years. We were still able to enter this time, but with the Tian family’s ambitions growing and their behavior becoming ever more unrestrained… five years from now, perhaps no one will be sent in at all.”
Xu Ziqing thought to himself that he absolutely had to leave the secret realm this time. Otherwise, if the disciples truly did not return next year, he might end up trapped here until he died.
Elio’s Notes: Current JJWXC itself says “next year” here, even though the immediately preceding sentence speaks of the secret realm’s next opening five years later. FD preserves the author text rather than silently repairing the chronology.
The two continued talking for a while. As they walked, Xu Zitang saw Xu clan spirit-fire flare in the sky and knew it was a summons to gather the family members, so she quickened her pace.
Before long they reached a grassy clearing. More than ten fluttering figures were already visible there. Several looked quite familiar, and Xu Ziqing recognized them as members of the Xu family. Xu Zitang’s delicate face turned cold as she stood off to one side beside Xu Ziqing. The other disciples knew her temperament and did not come over to speak, but they repeatedly glanced at Xu Ziqing, apparently wondering how he had managed to become acquainted with the icy beauty. Two men who harbored feelings for Xu Zitang even cast jealous looks his way, making Xu Ziqing feel as though needles were pricking his back. He was thoroughly uncomfortable. Xu Zitang, however, seemed not to notice and continued speaking to him in a mild tone.
After waiting for well over an hour, the ground suddenly shook, and five gateways appeared in the sky. Each was ten zhang high and ten zhang wide, standing in midair like a gate reaching to heaven. The sight was astonishing.
Gateways of that size could probably be seen clearly from anywhere in the secret realm.
Xu Ziqing was still shaken by the sight when the gateways abruptly began to change.
All five gates burst with light at once. One beam of white light drifted down and formed an enormous glowing barrier that enclosed every member of the Xu family. Then the barrier lifted, sweeping all of them upward.
Xu Ziqing’s heart tightened. He was afraid the light might sense something wrong with him. Fortunately, nothing happened. The white light felt faintly warm against his body without causing pain, and he rose naturally with it into the air.
Xu Zitang relaxed slightly when she saw this. Since the barrier had shown no abnormal reaction, the man’s claim to be a member of the Xu family was evidently genuine.
Only one or two breaths later, the barrier descended and dispersed, leaving everyone standing on solid ground. Family Head Xu Zhengtian stood before them, having just withdrawn a jade sword.
At this moment, the people from the five great families stood in clearly divided groups, each occupying its own position. The Tian and Xu families faced each other from a distance. Xu Zhengtian waved his hand. “Return quickly. Do not linger here, and be careful on the road.”
Everyone answered in unison, “Yes.”
Xu Zhengtian called Xu Zitang over to report to him. Unable to say much more to Xu Ziqing, she merely said, “Excuse me,” and immediately went over.
Xu Ziqing quietly dropped to the rear and gradually widened the distance between himself and the others.
Because the situation was so tense, all the spiritual birds had been assigned to the Foundation Establishment cultivators as mounts. The others therefore traveled using the Wind-Riding Art. To conserve spiritual power, they did not use magical artifacts and flew fairly close to the ground.
This suited Xu Ziqing perfectly. He cast a concealment technique on himself and avoided the notice of the accompanying elders. Using a massive tree they passed along the way, he silently hid himself. Once those ahead had traveled farther, he immediately activated the Wood-Escape Art and sped off in another direction.
After Xu Zitang finally finished reporting the events inside the secret realm to Xu Zhengtian, he too became quite interested in the person who had saved her life. But when Xu Zitang turned to bring Xu Ziqing before the clan head, he was nowhere to be seen.
Xu Zhengtian was greatly surprised. “He left on his own, and no one noticed?”
Xu Zitang sighed. “His escape technique is extraordinary. I do not know where he obtained it. He helped me, yet concealed his face. He is clearly a member of the Xu family, so I cannot understand why he insists on acting this way.”
Xu Zhengtian’s eyes darkened slightly before he said, “Since he bears us no ill will, leave him be. But if you meet him again in the future, would you be able to recognize him?”
Xu Zitang thought for a moment. “His aura is very close to nature. He would be easy to recognize.”
Xu Zhengtian nodded approvingly. “Then that will suffice.”
Whatever Xu Zhengtian and Xu Zitang might think, Xu Ziqing had finally separated himself from the Xu family without incident. He traveled day and night until he was several hundred li away. Only after confirming that no one had followed did he remove the covering from his face and allow a faint smile to appear.
After breathing a little easier, Xu Ziqing sat cross-legged beneath the shade of a tree. He now understood that traveling outside could be dangerous, so caution was best in all things. Staying close to trees meant he could use the Wood-Escape Art at any time.
Once seated, he sank his consciousness into the storage ring as usual. Before long, he received a response from the person within. Xu Ziqing laid a restriction around the area, and a white-robed man suddenly appeared before him.
Xu Ziqing was in a good mood. He looked up and said, “Brother Yun, please sit.”
Yun Lie sat opposite him. “I saw everything that happened just now.”
Xu Ziqing paused, then smiled. “What did Brother Yun think?”
Yun Lie’s expression remained cold. “You have a kind heart. That is good.” A trace of killing intent flashed through his eyes. “Those who violate others through lust, and those who betray kin and friends, deserve death.”
It was rare for Xu Ziqing to hear Yun Lie praise him, and he was rather pleased. “Since Brother Yun says so, it seems I did nothing wrong.”
Yun Lie gave a slight nod. “Your strength is still lacking. You must cultivate diligently.”
Xu Ziqing knew this friend of his had always spoken plainly, so he was not offended. Instead, he replied, “Indeed. If Miss Zitang had not possessed a trump card of her own, I might well have been in grave danger this time.” Saving someone only to lose his own life in the process would have been extremely unwise.
Yun Lie then pointed out, one by one, the mistakes Xu Ziqing had made during the fight and warned him not to repeat them. He added, “With the demon vine in your possession, you should have no trouble protecting yourself. But its baleful aura is too heavy. You have not yet found your own Dao. If you are not exceedingly vigilant, it may shake your temperament and lead you onto a demonic path.”
Xu Ziqing’s heart jolted, and he immediately reflected on himself. The Bloodthirsty Demon Vine was indeed useful, but his own cultivation had not yet caught up. He did not worry about the vine turning on him, but if its baleful aura clouded his mind, there truly was a risk of straying from the Great Dao. Fortunately, Xu Ziqing was not someone who craved bloodshed. If an opponent had committed no great evil, he could not bear to let the demon vine devour their blood essence and commit such a cruel act.
Yun Lie knew Xu Ziqing’s temperament as well, so he merely mentioned the danger in passing to make sure Xu Ziqing remained on guard.
With that matter settled, Xu Ziqing thought back to the fiercest battle in the secret realm and remembered those three streaks of sword qi. Deeply impressed, he could not help praising them. “Young Master Zifeng sealed sword qi within jade talismans and killed two people in the span of a few breaths. It was truly formidable!” As he spoke, he turned toward his white-robed friend and asked, “Brother Yun must have seen it as well. What do you make of it?”
His friend’s bearing was vast and profound, beyond anyone Xu Ziqing had ever seen by an immeasurable margin. For that reason, Xu Ziqing never called others “Senior” in Yun Lie’s presence. Now, in asking how Xu Zifeng’s sword qi measured up, he also intended to invite Yun Lie’s instruction and judgment.
Yun Lie considered briefly, then said, “The sword qi has acceptable depth, but it is still impure. It still requires repeated tempering before it can even be considered an entry into the path.”
Xu Ziqing was surprised. Xu Zifeng’s sword qi had been astonishingly sharp, and he had assumed it was already excellent. He had never expected Yun Lie to find it lacking, which only showed how strict his friend’s standards were. They had known each other for years, and although Yun Lie was cold and sparing with words, he never spoke falsely. If he said Xu Zifeng was deficient, then Xu Zifeng truly was deficient.
Xu Ziqing smiled. “If Young Master Zifeng wished to advance further, what should he do?”
Yun Lie said coldly, “Without using spiritual power, swing the sword thirty thousand times each day until his sword form is corrected. Only then should he speak of anything else.”
Xu Ziqing clicked his tongue in astonishment. “So even his sword form is not correct?”
Yun Lie said, “If one intends to learn the sword yet cannot execute even cleaving, thrusting, slashing, and sweeping with precision, how can one speak of swordsmanship?”
After thinking about it, Xu Ziqing found that reasonable. Whether one studied the sword or any other method, an unstable foundation would inevitably limit future achievement. Once an error was recognized, it was only natural to correct matters from the fundamentals before speaking of the future.
With that, the matter of the secret realm came to an end.
Xu Ziqing whistled toward the sky, and Chonghua abruptly swooped down and landed on his shoulder.
The eagle had been circling high overhead all along and had never allowed Xu Zitang or the others to notice it. Fortunately, it had hatched through Xu Ziqing’s blood and was therefore able to leave the secret realm with him. Now it had finally returned to his side.
Chonghua was extremely affectionate with Xu Ziqing but held Yun Lie in great awe and did not dare act presumptuously around him. Seeing Yun Lie nearby, it refrained from rubbing its feathers against Xu Ziqing and only gave a few low cries by way of acting spoiled.
Xu Ziqing stroked its feathers. Its plumage was lustrous black overlaid with gold and looked quite magnificent. Then he looked down at himself. The long robe he wore had been taken from the secret realm and did not fit properly, and after several battles he looked thoroughly disheveled. He could not help slapping his forehead. “I spent so many years in the secret realm without even proper clothing to wear. This is truly discourteous.”
Yun Lie remained silent.
Xu Ziqing did not mind. Smiling, he said, “Brother Yun, do you think I should go to a marketplace and buy myself a proper set of clothes?”
Yun Lie’s figure shifted and returned to the ring. “You should.”
Xu Ziqing could not help laughing. If even his friend said so, then he truly must look improper. Escaping the Xu family felt like shedding a set of restraints, but what he should do next still required some thought. For now, he would first visit a marketplace and then make further plans.
In places where cultivators gathered, ordinary exchanges were usually conducted in gold or jade, while more valuable goods were commonly traded with spiritual pearls. Xu Ziqing possessed little wealth, but fortunately he had gathered many spiritual herbs inside the secret realm, and Chonghua and the demon vine had also collected demon cores from the beasts they hunted and stored them in the ring. He could sell a few herbs first and exchange them for whatever he needed.
As for marketplaces, some existed under the protection of major sects, great clans, or other powerful forces, while others had gradually formed over long periods as rogue cultivators gathered together. The former enjoyed protection; the latter offered far less security.
Even so, Xu Ziqing had never before left the Xu family’s territory and naturally had no idea where he currently was, much less in which direction the nearest marketplace lay. He therefore said a few words to Chonghua. The eagle obediently spread its wings and soared into the sky in an instant.
Before long, Chonghua came flying swiftly back. After several eagle cries, Xu Ziqing understood and followed it.
Xu Ziqing recalled what he had once learned in the Hundred Herbs Garden about the ordinary geography of this Haotian Small World. The world was vast. In ancient times, a great expert had divided the immense landmass into two. The continents to the east were inhabited by cultivators, with mortals living among them as well, but there were no emperors or ministers in those lands, for every great power was controlled by cultivators. The southern continents, by contrast, were inhabited only by mortals. Those people did not even know that the cultivation holy lands of the east existed and concerned themselves only with worldly schemes, struggles for power, and personal gain.
Thus the eastern continents were rich in spiritual energy, while the south, lacking long-term cultivator settlements and burdened by the turbid qi of mortals, was somewhat inferior. Although east and south were divided between immortal and mortal domains, each region still contained nine great continents: Xi Continent, Lu Continent, Qu Continent, Xia Continent, Qi Continent, Yu Continent, Lan Continent, Fan Continent, and Ling Continent. The eastern nine were called the Upper Continents, while their southern counterparts were called the Lower Continents. Cultivators called mortals of the Upper Nine Continents ordinary mortals, while those of the Lower Nine Continents were called southerners.
Denglin Prefecture, where the Xu family’s main clan was located, lay within Upper Qu Continent. There were several cultivator marketplaces in the prefecture, and by coincidence one of them was only a hundred li away. Xu Ziqing could head there now.
Chonghua led the way through the sky while Xu Ziqing swiftly used the Wood-Escape Art below. His figure moved like wind and mist, reduced to a hazy green blur, and in what seemed no time at all he had crossed a hundred li. The marketplace lay ahead, crowded with cultivators. To avoid causing misunderstandings, Xu Ziqing stopped before entering despite his disheveled clothing, observing the proper courtesy.
The marketplace resembled the descriptions he had read in books. Numerous shops were arranged in a well-shaped grid, while smaller stalls were scattered more irregularly through the open spaces between them. The bustle was no different from that of a mortal marketplace.
Everyone passing through was a cultivator, yet some shops were staffed by Acquired-Realm martial artists. Such people had no spiritual roots and could not cultivate immortality, but because they had been born in the Upper Nine Continents, most still belonged to families with cultivator connections. Smaller families attached themselves to greater clans and served as their Outer Halls, so these martial artists knew far more about cultivators than ordinary mortals did.
Xu Ziqing looked around and suddenly saw a burly man approach and salute with clasped fists. “Immortal Master, is this your first time here?”
Xu Ziqing paused slightly, then nodded. “It is.”
Xu Ziqing’s eyesight and discernment were far beyond what they had been years ago. Seeing an Acquired-Realm martial artist now, he could tell the man’s internal cultivation with a single glance. He was at the ninth level of the Acquired Realm, which by the classifications of ordinary mortals would make him a ninth-level martial artist. His external martial arts were quite good.
Even so, martial artists were ultimately little more than larger ants in the eyes of cultivators. The Innate Realm was the absolute limit of their martial path, and even an Innate-Realm martial artist could only match a cultivator around the fifth or sixth layer of Qi Refinement, with no possibility of progressing further. For that reason, even cultivators who had only just stepped onto the immortal path often looked down on them. Unless they were household servants, martial artists addressing cultivators would generally call themselves “junior.”
The ninth-level martial artist’s eyes lit up. Raising a hand in invitation, he said, “Since this is Immortal Master’s first visit, why not allow this junior to do what little I can and accompany you around?”
Xu Ziqing saw the expectation in the man’s eyes and had no wish to make things difficult for him. He smiled. “Then I will trouble you.”
The ninth-level martial artist was delighted. He had spent a long time here receiving and dealing with visitors, and gentle cultivators were rare. His manner toward Xu Ziqing therefore grew even warmer. “This junior is Chen Tang. May I ask how Immortal Master is addressed?”
Xu Ziqing thought back to the first Acquired-Realm martial artist he had met when he was thirteen. Although that man had been a servant, even his outward respect had been little more than a matter of appearances. The contrast with his present circumstances was enormous.
Xu Ziqing had originally intended to say that his surname was Xu, but after a moment’s thought he changed his answer. “My surname is Yun.” After saying it, he silently apologized to his friend for borrowing his surname.
Chen Tang suspected nothing and smiled broadly. “Immortal Master Yun, please follow this junior.” He began explaining the marketplace in detail. “These are all narrow lanes. There are two running across and five running lengthwise, dividing the place into three districts. The left district is where immortal masters barter goods directly, so gold, jade, and spiritual pearls are unnecessary and the parties negotiate for themselves. The middle district contains shops dealing in pills, spiritual herbs and medicines, talismans, and magical artifacts. Experts are stationed there, so its defenses are very strict. The right district is for craftsmen of the other trades. If there is something the left and middle districts neither buy nor sell, you may also be able to find it there.”
Having someone explain things truly was different from exploring blindly. Without Chen Tang’s guidance, Xu Ziqing would have spent a great deal of time slowly feeling his way around on his own.
After a little thought, Xu Ziqing made a decision. “I recently obtained a spiritual herb and would like to sell it here. Could Sir Chen recommend a reliable place?”
Chen Tang, seeing how mild he was, felt rather flattered and immediately replied, “Fine Herb Hall purchases spiritual herbs throughout the day, and its prices are considered fair. Shall this junior lead Immortal Master Yun there?”
Xu Ziqing smiled faintly. “I would be grateful.”
Chen Tang’s face flushed with pleasure. Moving briskly, he soon led Xu Ziqing to a fork in the road. The moment they entered this lane, the spiritual energy grew much richer. Looking around, Xu Ziqing saw that every shop was clean and spacious. Inside, many spiritual herbs were stored on jade trays, in jade boxes, or within special restrictions. Their concentrated fragrance was refreshing and pleasant.
The entire lane seemed to consist of herb halls, medicinal halls, and pill halls that bought and sold spiritual plants, making it look particularly orderly.
Fine Herb Hall stood near the center. A golden plaque hung above it, bearing the three characters of the shop name in forceful, incisive calligraphy. The storefront was large, and its bluestone floor made it look even cleaner.
Inside were two female cultivators whose spiritual auras were faint. Both were pretty and well-proportioned. Behind the counter stood an older-looking manager with a beard beneath his chin. He too was a cultivator with some cultivation.
One glance from outside was enough for Xu Ziqing to guess that the shop had powerful backing and was therefore likely to have a decent reputation. He stepped inside, and Chen Tang, benefiting from his company, followed him in.
One of the female cultivators came forward to greet them. Though Xu Ziqing looked somewhat bedraggled, she could not see through his cultivation and showed not the slightest disdain. She approached with a sweet smile. “Welcome, honored guest. How may we assist you?” As she spoke, she did not acknowledge Chen Tang at all.
Xu Ziqing smiled gently. “I have a spiritual herb to sell. Would your establishment be interested in purchasing it?”
The female cultivator was unsurprised. Cultivators who came here either sold spiritual herbs they had obtained or bought herbs they needed; there were really only those two possibilities. She immediately said, “In that case, please follow me to the manager. He can appraise it first, and then we can discuss the price.”
Xu Ziqing smiled. “That suits me.” He followed her to the counter and faced the elderly-looking cultivator.
The old manager looked Xu Ziqing up and down. “Please.”
Xu Ziqing pretended to reach into his sleeve, but in truth took a leaf-wrapped bundle from his storage ring. Inside was a spiritual herb. The leaf used for the wrapping naturally resisted spiritual energy, allowing the herb’s spiritual properties to remain preserved for several extra days. It was an essential method for storing ordinary spiritual herbs.
The old manager accepted the bundle and opened it. A wave of spiritual energy immediately washed over him, fresh and vigorous, along with the clear fragrance of the herb. He narrowed his eyes. “A mature Thousand-Grain Grass. Upper grade.”
In truth, Xu Ziqing’s preservation method was rather crude. Even with the leaf wrapping, some of the spiritual energy had already leaked away. But the Thousand-Grain Grass had come from the secret realm, so even in its current condition it was no worse than the herbs once grown in Old He’s Hundred Herbs Garden. The old manager knew at once that it was exceptional.
After examining it carefully several more times, the old manager narrowed his eyes and said, “This is worth fifteen jin of white jade. How does that sound?”
Elio’s Notes: A jin (斤) is a traditional Chinese unit of weight whose exact historical value varied. FD keeps the source unit here because the novel values gold and jade by weight.
Xu Ziqing replied, “Your price is fair.”
Among cultivators, gold, white jade, and green jade were the most common media of exchange. Gold and white jade were equal in value, while green jade was somewhat cheaper: one jin of white jade could be exchanged for ten jin of green jade. Spiritual pearls were far more valuable, with a single pearl worth a hundred jin of gold. This Thousand-Grain Grass was in excellent condition, so receiving fifteen jin of white jade for it was indeed a good price.
With that, the deal was settled.
The female cultivator beside them immediately made a beckoning gesture, and three white-jade bricks emerged from her storage pouch, each weighing five jin and measured with perfect precision. Xu Ziqing beckoned in turn, and the bricks all entered his storage ring. Everyone merely assumed he had a storage pouch concealed close to his body and suspected nothing.
Having received the jade bricks, Xu Ziqing did not linger in the shop. He called to Chen Tang, and the two walked outside.
Seeing that Xu Ziqing did not intend to leave the marketplace yet, Chen Tang asked, “Where else would Immortal Master Yun like to go?”
Xu Ziqing said, “I would like to find a cultivator robe to clothe myself properly.”
Chen Tang had naturally noticed that the clothes this Immortal Master wore did not fit very well. He had originally assumed Xu Ziqing was eccentric, or perhaps had only recently been in a fight and therefore looked disheveled. Hearing him speak so frankly now only made Chen Tang feel that he was indeed very easy to get along with. He immediately replied, “Immortal Master Yun, please come this way. Ordinary cultivator robes generally belong among the crafts and are found in the right district. If you cannot find anything suitable there, you can try your luck in the left or middle districts. In the left district, some immortal masters bring robes to trade after their cultivation rises or when the attributes no longer suit them. In the middle district, artifact refiners occasionally produce cultivator robes with an actual artifact grade, but those can cost several times, dozens of times, or even hundreds of times more.”
Xu Ziqing smiled and followed him. Naturally, they went to the right district first. Xu Ziqing only wanted to dress properly and had no need for an artifact.
There were only two or three ready-made clothing shops in the right district. Young masters and young ladies from established families had their cultivation resources supplied by their clans, and clothing was no exception. Thus it was mainly rogue cultivators who needed to buy clothes at marketplaces. But rogue cultivators rarely had much spare wealth, and if they truly needed something special, they preferred to hire an artifact refiner to make a robe engraved with formations. As a result, ordinary clothing shops were naturally scarce.
Chen Tang led Xu Ziqing to one with a good reputation. The proprietor was a female cultivator of unremarkable appearance, neither beautiful nor unattractive, whose cultivation was around the fourth or fifth layer of Qi Refinement. She had no assistants and ran the shop entirely on her own. According to Chen Tang, her workmanship was quite good. Her prices were a little high, but still worth what she charged.
When they entered, the female cultivator smiled and asked, “Honored guest, are you looking for ready-made clothing?”
Xu Ziqing said, “I am.”
Unlike mortal shops, this place did not stack rolls of silk across counters. Instead, restrictions held sample garments suspended in the air for customers to choose from.
Hearing his answer, the female cultivator asked, “May I ask which of the Five Elements your required robe should correspond to?”
Cultivators selected cultivation methods according to the attributes of their spiritual roots, and the robes they wore naturally had to correspond to the same attributes. Ordinary cultivator robes were traditionally made from silk produced by Heavenly Silkworms. Heavenly Silkworms were natural spirit beasts and likewise divided according to the Five Elements: Metal Silkworms, Wood Silkworms, Water Silkworms, Fire Silkworms, and Earth Silkworms. Garment artisans of the various crafts raised them from young, tamed them as spirit pets, and once they matured, the silkworms produced enough silk each day to be used for clothing.
Xu Ziqing smiled. “My Five-Elements attribute is Wood.”
The female cultivator understood. With a sweep of her hand, five embroidered cylinders appeared in her palm, each only as long as a thumb and no thicker than a pigeon’s egg. She murmured an incantation. The cylinders opened, releasing five finished garments that floated in the air. Their silk was smooth and supple, in shades of indigo, blue-green, and emerald. Their radiance was subdued, refined without being ostentatious.
Xu Ziqing glanced over them and immediately chose the blue-green set. Pointing to it, he said, “I’ll take this one. If you give me three sets, Miss, how much will they cost?”
The female cultivator beckoned again. The displayed cylinders were all put away, and three others were handed to Xu Ziqing. “Five jin of white jade will suffice.”
Xu Ziqing gave her one jade brick and went to the partitioned area to change.
When he emerged again, he wore a blue-green long robe. At first glance it looked plain and unadorned, but closer inspection revealed subtle depth in the craftsmanship. It was understated without being dull and complemented his gentle temperament and mild smile, making him naturally approachable.
The female cultivator admired his bearing and smiled. “People often say cultivators are immortals walking the earth, yet in ordinary life one rarely sees someone who truly appears so otherworldly. Seeing Young Master today, I finally understand why people say it.”
Xu Ziqing smiled as well. “It is your robe that is exquisitely made. Thank you.”
After exchanging a few more words, Xu Ziqing took his leave and walked out.
Chen Tang had not dared interrupt while the two cultivators were speaking. Now that they were outside, he could not help praising him. “Immortal Master Yun looks even more distinguished dressed this way.”
Xu Ziqing laughed. “If you keep praising me like that, I really will become embarrassed.” He actually joked with him.
It was rare for Chen Tang to meet such an approachable cultivator, and he was just about to try to become a little more familiar with him when he suddenly noticed someone behaving furtively not far away. At the mouth of the lane, that person released a burst of brilliant light.
Chen Tang’s expression changed immediately. He turned to Xu Ziqing at once. “Immortal Master Yun, do you still have business in this marketplace?”
Xu Ziqing noticed that the atmosphere in the shops along the lane had also grown tense and began to speculate inwardly, though nothing showed on his face. “I still intend to look around a little.”
Chen Tang sighed and said urgently, “If you have nothing important left to do, please take this junior’s advice and do not remain in this marketplace.”
Xu Ziqing asked in surprise, “Why is that?”
Chen Tang grew even more anxious. “Very well. If you trust this junior, leave the marketplace with me first. I will explain afterward. Would that be acceptable?”
The man had lived around the marketplace for a long time, so his warning was naturally worth heeding. Xu Ziqing nodded. “All right.”
Without the slightest hesitation, Chen Tang led Xu Ziqing swiftly through the side lanes. After several turns, they slipped out through a secluded area of the marketplace. The two hurried several li farther before Chen Tang finally stopped once the marketplace could no longer be seen behind them.
“This junior has made a poor showing before you,” he apologized first.
Xu Ziqing gave him a reassuring smile. “It is nothing. Tell me what happened.”
Chen Tang looked somewhat helpless. “Immortal Master Yun must be a rogue cultivator…” Seeing Xu Ziqing nod, he relaxed and continued, “No wonder you did not know. There are more than ten marketplaces in Upper Qu Continent, and most are attached to powerful cultivation families. This particular marketplace has always had the Xu family, one of the five great families, as its patron.”
So this place was actually Xu property. Xu Ziqing could not help feeling secretly relieved that he had not given his real surname earlier.
Chen Tang continued, “In recent years, relations between the Xu and Tian families have deteriorated until all pretense was torn away and the two could no longer coexist. About a year ago, Tian clansmen began coming here frequently to cause trouble. We martial artists are powerless against them, and the immortal masters who run shops here are weaker than those who come to cause trouble, so we often suffered badly. Later, the Xu family stationed several people from its Outer Hall here. Whenever one of the Tian family’s masters comes here, a signal is sent so that Xu clansmen can be dispatched to confront them… The brilliant light you saw earlier was the warning signal.
Elio’s Notes: Current JJWXC reads 田氏主人 here, literally “a master of the Tian family,” an unusual wording immediately after referring more generally to 田氏族人, Tian clansmen. FD preserves the current author text instead of normalizing it to “Tian family members.”
He paused, then said sincerely, “But once those immortal masters begin fighting, even people like us standing nearby can easily be caught in the aftermath. Immortal Master Yun, this is your first visit and you happened to run into such a situation… This junior was presumptuous, but I could only ask you to leave first.”
Xu Ziqing waved a hand and said gently, “This is indeed not something I should involve myself in. Thank you for warning me.” After thinking for a moment, he drew another leaf-wrapped bundle from his sleeve. “Then I will not remain here. This is another spiritual herb I obtained. You have helped me a great deal today, so take it as payment for your trouble and as thanks for your thoughtfulness.”
Chen Tang accepted the bundle and gave it a slight sniff. He immediately realized that the spiritual herb inside was valuable. Once the trouble had passed, selling it should bring a good price and might even allow him to obtain a decent body-tempering pill. His gratitude deepened at once. “Immortal Master Yun has shown this junior such generosity… Great favors need no words of thanks. If Immortal Master ever has need of me in the future, you need only send word. This junior would go through fire and water and never refuse!”
Xu Ziqing had grown rather fond of the man as well and smiled. “There is no need to speak so gravely. Go on. I should leave too.”
Chen Tang saluted once more with clasped fists, then turned and strode away.
Watching him disappear into the distance, Xu Ziqing gave a quiet sigh.
Upper Qu Continent was the ancestral territory of both the Xu and Tian great families, so most of the better marketplaces were probably connected to one or the other. Since this marketplace had already been repeatedly dragged into their conflict, the others were likely just as chaotic. For the time being, Xu Ziqing could not safely visit them.
Thinking it through, he realized he would have to travel to another continent after all.
Upper Qu Continent covered an immense area. Xu Ziqing traveled for a long time before finally reaching its border. Beyond lay the open ocean, stretching farther than the eye could see, part of the sea that surrounded the nine great continents.
Crossing this ocean could take one to Upper Yu Continent, Upper Lan Continent, or Upper Qi Continent, depending on the route chosen.
When Xu Ziqing arrived, he saw an enormous spirit ship floating on the water. It stood several stories high and was dozens of zhang long. Chonghua perched on his shoulder and tilted its head at the sight, looking rather endearing.
Restrictions shimmered brightly across the spirit ship, glowing with waves of light. A male cultivator stood at the bow and called out, “This ship is bound for Upper Yu Continent. Where does the traveler wish to go?”
Xu Ziqing had no particular destination in mind. He only wanted to avoid becoming entangled in the conflict between the Xu and Tian families. All three continents reachable from here lay outside the influence of the five great families, so any would do. Since a ship for Upper Yu Continent happened to be present, he decided he might as well take it.
Having decided, he raised his voice and asked, “May I ask the fare, fellow Daoist?”
The male cultivator replied, “If you travel all the way to Upper Yu Continent, five jin of white jade!”
It was certainly not cheap. Xu Ziqing nevertheless answered, “Then please open the restriction and allow me aboard.”
At once, the restriction flashed and opened a gap wide enough for one person to pass. Xu Ziqing rode the wind upward and landed directly on the bow. The restriction closed behind him. Smiling faintly, he placed one jade brick into the male cultivator’s hand.
Seeing how readily he paid, the man’s expression warmed somewhat. “Fellow Daoist, please.”
Still smiling, Xu Ziqing swept his gaze around. Only two or three cultivators stood along the railings, dressed similarly to the man who had received him and presumably serving the passengers. There were also more than ten people whose faint pressure felt entirely different from that of cultivators. Xu Ziqing recognized them as Innate-Realm martial artists.
The male cultivator summoned one of the Innate-Realm martial artists and told him to lead Xu Ziqing into the cabin. Only then did Xu Ziqing realize that even Innate-Realm martial artists served merely as attendants aboard this spirit ship.
The ship’s interior was extraordinarily spacious. Spiritual energy filled the air, fresh and comfortable. Several hundred rooms lined both sides of the cabin, each separate from the others. Xu Ziqing’s room was on the left and was quite large.
The Innate-Realm martial artist escorted him inside and said respectfully, “This junior is Liu Sheng. If Immortal Master has any instructions, simply call this junior’s name.” Glancing at Chonghua, he added, “If Immortal Master requires anything else, just say so. This junior can arrange it.”
Understanding that he meant the ship could provide whatever ordinary necessities he might need, Xu Ziqing smiled. “I understand. Go attend to your work.”
Liu Sheng withdrew and carefully closed the door. A few breaths later, he returned with a lacquered wooden food box, then left once more.
Only after Xu Ziqing was certain he would not return immediately did he take the time to inspect the room. There was a stone bed with a silk quilt and soft pillow. A table and chairs stood on the right, while a meditation cushion lay on the floor to the left. Every furnishing had been arranged with considerable thought and care. Cultivators traveling outside generally cared little for comfort and had few attachments to worldly possessions, yet such attentiveness still made the heart feel at ease.
Chonghua had followed Xu Ziqing for many years, usually sleeping beneath the open sky and enduring wind and dew. It had never seen such an elegant room. Now that no outsiders were present, it began fluttering around excitedly, finding everything novel and examining one thing after another.
After making several circuits, it finally landed on a projecting crossbar nearby. Its sharp claws hooked securely around the wood as it looked left and right, then began pecking curiously at the perch with its hooked beak, keeping itself thoroughly occupied.
Xu Ziqing watched it play and only smiled, saying nothing. Liu Sheng had mentioned earlier that the spirit ship would not set out to sea for another hour, so until then Xu Ziqing simply needed to wait quietly.
After a little thought, he sank his consciousness into the ring and called, “Brother Yun, are you free?”
For a long while there was no response at all. Just as Xu Ziqing began to feel disappointed, he suddenly sensed movement within the ring and immediately brightened.
Sure enough, in the next instant a stern man appeared inside the room, dressed in white as pure as snow, his aura just as cold. He said, “What is it?”