Across from him, Shang Shuangze opened his eyes as well. Both of them had gained something from the experience.
The gain was not reflected in their cultivation so much as in their state of mind.
Xia Yunzhao blinked and was just about to speak when an anxious voice called out, “Xiao Xia!”
“Senior Shang!”
“Where did you two go? We’ve been looking everywhere for you!”
They turned together and found Xing Wenyu, Wei Ling, and the others crowding around them. Looking around again, they realized they had not emerged beside the city wall. They were back at the intersection from earlier.
Du Yan was still holding the Heaven-Measuring Ruler. He looked the two of them up and down. “I almost thought we’d lost two more before finding the first one. What happened to you?”
Xia Yunzhao and Shang Shuangze exchanged a look. What had happened? They did not really know either. If it had been an illusion, they had still interacted with the people inside. But if they had truly gone back into the past, that seemed impossible too…
Xia Yunzhao suddenly seemed to sense something. He looked up at the sky and smiled. “Nothing. By the way, you still haven’t found Brother Zhong? Did you discover a way out?”
Xing Wenyu shook his head, his expression turning grave. “We searched the whole secret realm and couldn’t find Zhong Yundu. There must be…”
He had not even finished the sentence when all of Yangshan Commandery suddenly began to shake like an earthquake.
“Oh no!” Wei Ling slapped a hand down. “Is the secret realm collapsing?”
Xia Yunzhao sprang up. “Save the people!” Everyone in Yangshan Commandery was still asleep!
Before he could take even three steps, an enormous black saber suddenly appeared in midair. It looked strangely familiar… Then red light flashed, and a blood-red eye opened on the blade.
Wei Tu jumped in fright. “What the hell is that?!”
The red eye rolled left and right, swept over everyone, then withdrew. A gigantic hand stretched out from the same place and reached toward them.
Xia Yunzhao hurriedly shouted, “Friendly! Don’t move! Don’t resist either, don’t…” Whoosh. Everyone watched as the huge hand grabbed him away, with Shang Shuangze following right after.
After that, the others were pulled out one by one. The moment their feet touched the ground, they discovered that they were standing outside Yangshan Commandery’s city gate.
Zhong Yundu was standing nearby too, his expression indescribable. He pointed to the side. “This tiny secret realm trapped you for that long?”
Everyone turned to look. Good grief. There really was a secret realm at Yangshan Commandery’s gate, and it really was a Heaven-and-Earth Secret Realm, but as for its size… even being generous, it covered only about ten square meters, just enough to encompass the spot where they had all been standing.
So everything that had happened just now had been an illusion created by the secret realm. They had never even made it into Yangshan Commandery.
Xing Wenyu asked Zhong Yundu, “Then what happened to you?”
Zhong Yundu spread his hands. “No idea. I saw a figure, chased it for two steps, and suddenly I was outside the secret realm.”
Everyone looked down. Sure enough, a hurried trail of footprints ran from inside the secret realm to where he was standing.
Zhong Yundu continued, “You were all trapped inside. I tried to pull you out, but I couldn’t reach you, and I couldn’t break the secret realm either, so I had to wait nearby. Later, something seemed to explode inside. The spiritual power destabilized for an instant, so I took the chance to stab my saber into the opening and pull you all out.”
Everyone nodded. So that was what had happened.
The Earthwalking Taotie in Xia Yunzhao’s arms squeaked twice. He brightened. “Oh? It’s right here?”
Shang Shuangze asked, “Cloud-Pattern Water-Sinking Iron?”
Xia Yunzhao nodded. “It says the Water-Sinking Iron is right beneath the secret realm!”
Shang Shuangze glanced at Zhong Yundu, and Zhong Yundu nodded. The two had worked together enough times to develop at least some tacit understanding. Saber and sword plunged into opposite sides of the secret realm at the same time and levered it upward.
The secret realm already had a hole torn in it and was barely holding together. Once they pried it up, it collapsed immediately. Xia Yunzhao clapped his hands together, and the Seven-Star Ring spread into a straight line before them to block the shock wave.
Shang Shuangze said only one terse word. “Careful.”
The Earthwalking Taotie had already shot out of Xia Yunzhao’s arms. Xia Yunzhao gave a startled sound and quickly retreated, but he did not look particularly alarmed. He could already sense the aura of Cloud-Pattern Water-Sinking Iron.
It took quite a while for the spiritual energy to settle. Everyone waved away the dust in front of their faces and looked toward the opening.
After a long silence, Ying Yanyu murmured, “All right. This time I admit our City Lord really is Heaven’s own son…”
Zhuo Lingling immediately followed, “I admit it too…”
Wei Ling said, “Me too…”
Xia Yunzhao: “…” Just admit whatever you want. Why are you finding me a father?
But there was not much he could say, because this haul really was enormous. The miniature Heaven-and-Earth Secret Realm had disappeared, leaving only a hole behind, and spirit ores were pouring out of it in an endless stream.
Cloud-Pattern Water-Sinking Iron was naturally among them, but here it barely stood out. There was also Flowing-Flame Copper Essence, Cold-Marrow Jade Crystal, Star-Patterned Steel… all Level-Four or even Level-Five materials!
The heaps of materials had different attributes that repelled one another, producing tiny crackling sounds like miniature thunderclaps.
The Earthwalking Taotie had already burrowed into the pile of spirit ores and was clutching a piece of Flowing-Flame Copper Essence as it gnawed away. Everyone looked at it with boundless affection. Eat! Let the child eat! The child had found this much spirit ore. It had earned a feast!
After taking a few bites, the Earthwalking Taotie seemed to remember something. It selected the largest piece of Cloud-Pattern Water-Sinking Iron and carried it over to Xia Yunzhao in both little paws.
Xia Yunzhao quickly took it. “Aiyo, you’re amazing! Thank you…” He stalled halfway through the sentence as he suddenly remembered that he had not named the Earthwalking Taotie yet.
Thinking of Xianchan and Crimson-Cloud Brocadefish back home, an idea popped into his head. “How about I call you Xianbao from now on? Thank you, Xianbao. You worked hard finding us all this spirit ore.”
He thought about it. The Earthwalking Taotie was a Level-Two spirit beast, so he took a Spirit-Gathering Pill from his Hundred-Compartment Pouch and tucked it into its paws.
The Earthwalking Taotie looked at the Spirit-Gathering Pill, then at its master, and squeaked twice. It put down the Flowing-Flame Copper Essence, stuffed the pill into its mouth, and finished it with a rustling series of bites. Then it obediently sat down and resumed gnawing the copper essence. It looked nothing like the little demon king that used to chew through everything in Du Yan’s home.
Viewed through the “scientific understanding” of later generations, the Earthwalking Taotie would probably count as a rodent. It gnawed spirit ore partly because it needed to eat and partly to wear down its teeth, so it spent a great deal of the day eating and consumed a lot.
Xia Yunzhao wondered whether it knew how to use a storage pouch. If it did, he could fill one with plenty of spirit ore for it, and then he would not have to worry about it sneaking food. As he thought, he stroked Xianbao’s bristly little head.
The sun rose and the night passed. Sounds began to come from Yangshan Commandery.
Jing Ruyun led people inside to inspect the city and reported that everything was normal.
Only then did Xia Yunzhao relax. He put away the spirit ores and returned to Qingxi City with everyone.
* * *
With all the materials finally gathered, the next step was closed-door refining. One keel and one sail took Xia Yunzhao a full seven days.
Fortunately, he succeeded in the end.
Xia Yunzhao went to the entrance of the City Lord’s Residence and raised a hand. The silver-white keel and sail appeared, then flew toward the already-formed hull and fused into it.
The ship immediately took shape. Its body was long and slender, the lines naturally smooth, like a silver shuttle. The wings on either side were thin and agile and could retract. When spread, they resembled silver-white bird wings, able to glide a thousand li with a light sweep. When folded, they became two exquisite shells with formidable defensive power. As for the sail, it had been refined from Shuixi Cloud Brocade and leaves of the Heaven-Reaching Tree. At full spread it hung like a round moon, spilling moonlight over the entire ship.
What a Cloudwater Ferry. A vessel that could travel through clouds and cross waters. Xia Yunzhao loved the treasure ship almost at first sight.
Good thing he had not settled for second best and chosen that Level-Three treasure ship worth over ten million instead. Otherwise, he would have missed out on something he loved this much!
He could barely wait another moment. He immediately pricked his finger and used a drop of blood to bind the ship to himself, then took Shang Shuangze’s hand, pricked his finger as well, and had him do the same.
Amusement shone in Shang Shuangze’s eyes. He did not resist in the slightest.
With that, both of them could control the treasure ship.
Xia Yunzhao’s playful side surfaced. He beckoned, and Cloudwater Ferry immediately shrank to the size of his palm and landed in his hand. When he tossed it out again, the brilliantly gleaming treasure ship expanded just as quickly, casting the entire City Lord’s Residence into shadow.
“It’s this big. It must fit a lot of people, right?” Wei Ling looked up at the treasure ship. “It’s beautiful.”
Behind her, Jing Ruyun nodded too. “I once saw the City Lord of Xuexiao City travel in his treasure ship. That one was white too, but it wasn’t as beautiful as our City Lord’s.”
The others nodded as well. After all the effort they had put in, the result was clearly worth it.
Once Xia Yunzhao had finished playing with the ship, he turned and asked, “Now that the treasure ship is finished, we’ll leave tomorrow. Does anyone want to come with us?”
His gaze passed over Su Ying and Su Meng, who had remained silent the whole time, but he did not say anything.
Wei Ling spoke first. “My brother and I won’t go. We’ll stay behind and watch the house for you and Senior Shang.”
Wei Tu nodded along. Whatever his sister said, he nodded.
Xing Wenyu said as well, “With my current cultivation, I wouldn’t be much help even if I went, so I won’t tag along and make trouble. Once you leave, I’ll enter seclusion.”
Xia Yunzhao nodded. He had already expected Brother Xing to say that.
Brother Du, on the other hand, surprised him. Du Yan actually intended to go with them.
No one had ever asked, but anyone with eyes could tell that something must have happened to Du Yan in the Qianyuan Sect. Otherwise he would not have hidden himself away in Qingxi City, ten thousand li distant. How could Xia Yunzhao make him return to a place full of painful memories? He immediately tried to refuse.
Du Yan laughed instead. “What, you really think I’m a porcelain bowl? Afraid I’ll shatter if I fall? If I don’t go, which one of you even knows the way to the Qianyuan Sect?”
That was true, but he did not have to stab straight at the sore spot. Xia Yunzhao looked at him tentatively. “Are you really all right? If it’s too much, stay home and wait for us. We’re only going to participate in a competition. It’s not like we actually have to join the Qianyuan Sect. If it doesn’t work out, we’ll just come back.”
Du Yan’s expression softened slightly. “Don’t worry. I’ll be fine.”
Seeing that he did not seem to be forcing himself, Xia Yunzhao relaxed a little. His gaze shifted toward Su Ying and Su Meng, and he was just about to speak when Zhong Yundu said, “I’ll bring these two brats with us.”
He pointed at the brothers. “They already told me they wanted to come, but their cultivation is too low, so they were afraid you wouldn’t take them.”
Xia Yunzhao was delighted. “Really?” He looked at the brothers. “You really want to come?”
The brothers were still timid. “Y-yes, City Lord. Please take us with you. We… we won’t hold you back!”
Xia Yunzhao could not have asked for anything better. “Great! Then go back and pack. We leave on time tomorrow morning!”
The two brothers brightened and hurried away.
Besides them, Jing Ruyun would bring a squad from the Guard as well. A City Lord traveling outside ought to have at least some proper entourage.
As for Xianchan, Crimson-Cloud Brocadefish, Xianbao, and the Kunyuan Xutu Seal… of course all of them were coming. They would be away for quite a while this time. Xia Yunzhao even brought Yun Yi and the medicinal herb garden, practically stripping the little valley down to an empty shell.
Everyone spent the rest of the day packing and making preparations.
Xia Yunzhao also made a trip to Qingming Pavilion. Since he had decided long ago that they would travel, he had naturally prepared a large stock of pills for the pavilion to sell while he was away.
But Qingming Pavilion’s reputation had spread. Not only did cultivators from within Qingxi City’s territory come to buy pills, some cultivators from other powers now came to try their luck too. The pavilion’s daily turnover kept climbing. It had already broken past five million and was heading toward six million.
So although the pills Xia Yunzhao had left behind looked like a great many, in reality they would not last very long.
He had already spoken with Xu Ziyu. If things truly became unmanageable, Xu Ziyu would come sit in for a few days.
Xu Ziyu was impatient with Xia Yunzhao constantly running off somewhere, but he had never once refused to help when it mattered. This time too, he agreed immediately.
Naturally, he still gave Xia Yunzhao a good scolding first.
The hectic day passed quickly. By early the next morning, it was time to depart.
Xia Yunzhao had not notified the city’s residents, but when he arrived, he discovered that the entrance to the City Lord’s Residence was already packed with people seeing them off.
The mortals of Qingxi City were very different. In other cities, no matter how many mortals there were, they hurried away the moment they saw cultivators. Being able to smile and exchange a few greetings already counted as unusually bold.
But the mortals of Qingxi City not only surrounded their City Lord’s treasure ship, they merely smiled and moved aside when cultivators from the City Lord’s Residence appeared. There was no fear in them.
A few even called out greetings. “Lord Jing, are you going with the City Lord too? What about Lord Wei and Lord Ying?”
Jing Ruyun answered each of them. “I’m going. The two of them are staying. If you need anything later, you can still go find them.”
The mortals hurriedly acknowledged her.
Whether it was the people asking questions or Jing Ruyun answering them, everything felt completely natural, as though this was simply how things ought to be.
Wei Ling and Wei Tu found it novel. They had not spent much time in the city before and had only noticed that its mortals seemed much bolder than elsewhere. They had never imagined they had become this bold.
Wei Ling remembered something her mother had said before she and her brother left home. Her mother had friends all over the world, and Ironfist Fort was filled with guests every day.
But before Wei Ling and Wei Tu set out to travel, their mother had told them, “A person can make countless friends in one lifetime, and every friend will broaden what you know. But some people can walk a brand-new road all by themselves. If you ever meet someone like that, don’t hesitate. Follow and take a look. You’ll see a world you’ve never seen before.”
That was why Wei Ling had remained beside Xia Yunzhao. She wanted to know what Qingxi City would become, and what Fellow Daoist Xia would become. Would this road no other cultivator had ever walked carry him all the way to the nine heavens?
More mortals gathered around. They were somewhat familiar with the members of the Guard, though they still treated cultivators with respect. But when it came to Xia Yunzhao, there was an extra layer of affection mixed into that respect.
An elderly woman who could not see out of one eye was led through the crowd by her children. She had once been blind in both eyes, and one of Qingming Pavilion’s miraculous pills had restored sight to one of them. That alone had made her content. Now that she could make out Xia Yunzhao’s figure through the blur, she immediately began fussing. “Aiyo, young people never know what’s good for them. It’s still early spring. Why is the City Lord wearing so little?”
Her daughter did not know whether to laugh or cry. “Mother, the City Lord is a cultivator. He doesn’t fear the cold the way we do.”
The old woman had hardly ever dealt with cultivators in her life and continued muttering, “Still ought to dress warmly. Bundle up in spring, brave the chill in autumn… bundle up in spring, brave the chill in autumn…”
Xia Yunzhao’s ears were sharp. He heard her at once, turned back with a smile, and took the old woman’s hand. “Here, feel. My hands are warm! You’re the one who shouldn’t be squeezing into a crowd at your age. Be careful you don’t get hurt!”
The plump teahouse shopkeeper squeezed through as well. His mother had given him strict orders, so the moment he spotted Xia Yunzhao he shouted, “City Lord! My mother got you a protection talisman and said you absolutely have to wear it! She says anyone traveling by boat has to hang one up!”
Xia Yunzhao shouted back, “Tell your mother to focus on recovering! Mine is a treasure ship. I can’t hang a protection talisman on it! I’m flying through the sky!”
Everyone burst out laughing. The plump shopkeeper laughed with them, then started worrying again. If he went home without delivering the talisman, his mother would surely smack him. Still, at his age, having a mother alive to smack him was a blessing in itself.
Xia Yunzhao greeted the city residents all along the way as he made his way toward the treasure ship.
Everyone watched. Zhong Yundu suddenly asked, “How does he know this many people? Where does he even find the time? Isn’t he refining pills, refining artifacts, and cultivating every day?”
Xing Wenyu shook his head, smiling. “I don’t know. I only know that a City Lord like Xiao Xia is what a true City Lord should be.”
In other cities, whoever had the strongest fist became City Lord. But in Qingxi City, if Xia Yunzhao ever tried to step down and yield the position to someone more worthy, the city’s people probably would not agree. If anyone tried to seize the position from him, they might have to step over every resident in the city first.
Shang Shuangze naturally followed behind Xia Yunzhao as well. Once, he had thought that seeing Yunzhao was like seeing the three thousand realms of mortal dust. Only now did he understand that what he had seen was the warmest hearthfire in that mortal world, and its brightest lamp.
“Uncle Shang.” A tiny voice sounded near his feet. Shang Shuangze stopped and looked down. A little girl of four or five was tilting her face up at him. He crouched. His expression did not change, but his voice was steady. “What is it?”
Shang Shuangze’s sword intent was sharp enough that even some low-tier cultivators, let alone mortals, did not dare meet his eyes. Yet the little girl was not afraid. She clutched a piece of candy in one hand and placed it into his palm. “Uncle Shang, when are you and Big Brother City Lord coming back?”
Shang Shuangze looked at the slightly melted candy. “We’re not certain yet. Why do you ask?”
The little girl gazed at him with bright eyes. “If you aren’t home, Yaya will be scared. What if a Greedy Beast comes to eat Yaya?”
“Greedy Beast?” Shang Shuangze looked toward the adults nearby. The girl’s father wore an embarrassed expression and hurried over to pick up his daughter. “I’m sorry, Lord Shang. Her stomach is weak and she’s always picky about food, so I made up a story about a Greedy Beast to scare her…”
Under Shang Shuangze’s calm gaze, the man gave an awkward smile. “I won’t do it again.”
The city residents were familiar with Lord Shang too. They knew that although he always wore a cold expression, he was a good person, and he was inseparable from their City Lord. At first, the residents had not dared speculate about the relationship between the two. But Xia Yunzhao had never intended to hide it. Holding hands in the street had happened more than once, and when he was happy, a hug was perfectly ordinary.
Over time, everyone understood.
After that, their attitude toward Shang Shuangze changed. If he was their City Lord’s person, then wasn’t he one of their own? And if he was one of their own, then of course he was a good cultivator!
So the people of the city were not afraid of Shang Shuangze either, though they certainly did not dare act too casually in front of him.
Shang Shuangze looked at the father’s miserable expression and said mildly, “A child’s soul is not yet stable. Don’t frighten her carelessly.”
The man immediately lowered his head. “Yes. I’ll remember.”
Shang Shuangze looked at the little girl again. She was clever enough to know that Yunzhao had too many people around him and might not hear her, so she had come to Shang Shuangze instead. He flicked a finger and hid a thread of sword qi in her hair. “I’ve left some sword qi to protect you. The Greedy Beast won’t dare come near. Don’t be picky with food anymore.”
The little girl’s eyes lit up. “Thank you, Uncle Shang! May you and Big Brother City Lord be happily united for a hundred years! Ah, no, you’re cultivators, so then a thousand years, ten thousand years!”
Her father hurriedly thanked him too.
Shang Shuangze waved a hand. “No need. I accepted her candy.”
He turned to catch up with Xia Yunzhao, only to find that Xia Yunzhao was already aboard the ship, leaning against the rail with his chin propped on one hand, grinning as he watched him.
Shang Shuangze shook his head helplessly and boarded in a few steps.
Xia Yunzhao kept smiling at him. Whenever he said Shang Shuangze was gentle and kindhearted, there were always people who disagreed. In truth, anyone who spent a little more time with him would know Xia Yunzhao was not exaggerating.
He often felt that he was exceptionally lucky too. He had come to this cultivation world all alone, yet somehow still met a Dao companion who was both this good and this perfectly matched with him.
Shang Shuangze’s heart softened under his gaze. He brushed the back of his hand gently over Xia Yunzhao’s cheek and asked softly, “Cold?”
Xia Yunzhao was just about to shake his head when he abruptly nodded instead, smiling. “Cold. I want to wear the cloak.”
Shang Shuangze smiled, took out the cloak, and wrapped it around him.
Zhong Yundu, who had just boarded, promptly gave an enormous eye roll. He pivoted on one foot and headed in the opposite direction. Su Ying and Su Meng, following behind him without understanding why, obediently turned with him.
Everyone else was already used to it and went off to find their own rooms.
A vast amount of spiritual energy poured into the formation core. Cloudwater Ferry trembled lightly, lifted off, and rose higher and higher.
The people on the ground rapidly dwindled beneath them until even Qingxi City disappeared from view. Faintly, they could still hear the residents calling their farewells.
The silver ship threaded through the white clouds, swift as a streak of flowing light. After half a month of preparation, they had finally set out on the road to Duxu City.
Once the ship settled onto its course, Xia Yunzhao activated every rune and formation on board.
In an instant, the keel and sail resonated with each other. A verdant curtain of light flared into being, then quickly vanished. The ship traveled more smoothly, its speed gradually increased, and the concentration of spiritual energy began to rise. But that was not the most important change. More importantly, everyone sensed that something felt different…
Du Yan hesitated. “A Spirit-Gathering Formation? Cultivation seems to have become much easier.”
Everyone nodded. That was more or less what it felt like, but not quite…
Xia Yunzhao and Shang Shuangze exchanged a look. Both understood. There was certainly a Spirit-Gathering Formation on the ship, but that was not what caused this sensation.
It was an unintended blessing. By substituting branches and leaves from the Heaven-Reaching Tree, Xia Yunzhao had accidentally given Cloudwater Ferry a different function.
That function was not gathering spiritual energy. It was enhancing comprehension.
After emerging from the heart-cultivator secret realm, the two of them had gained a much deeper understanding of cultivation.
Cultivation: cultivate the heart, refine the spirit, comprehend the Dao.
The Heaven-Reaching Tree’s effect was actually to increase a cultivator’s comprehension.
This was something ten thousand pieces of gold… no, even a hundred million high-grade spirit stones couldn’t buy!
Xia Yunzhao quietly cleared his throat. “Since cultivating aboard the ship is beneficial, everyone should go cultivate on their own. I’ll call you once we reach our first destination.”
Everyone nodded and dispersed to their rooms to cultivate. Their own City Lord was hardly going to harm them, so there was no reason to dig for explanations. Because of that, no one noticed his choice of words: “first destination.”
Only Su Ying secretly glanced at their City Lord. He had just seen a certain scene as well. Hm. This “first destination” was actually quite close.
Elio’s Notes:
- Xianbao (衔宝). The name literally carries the sense of “bearing/holding treasure,” fitting a little ore-finding beast and echoing the naming style of Xianchan.
- “Bundle up in spring, brave the chill in autumn.” This comes from the traditional saying 春捂秋冻, a folk-health idea that people should not shed warm layers too quickly in spring or bundle up too early when autumn first turns cool.
- “Cultivate the heart, refine the spirit, comprehend the Dao.” The raw plays on 修炼, the ordinary word for “cultivation,” by separating 修 (“cultivate”) and 炼 (“refine”) before adding 悟 (“comprehend”).