“Please forgive my earlier offense, Senior Brother.”
Sitting at the front of the giant gourd, Li Changshou maintained a calm expression as he looked at You Qin Xuan Ya, who was bowing with clasped hands. Though he wanted to make some sarcastic remarks, he could only dismiss it as nothing.
Li Changshou noticed that the gazes falling upon him no longer held their previous disdain and dissatisfaction, but rather…
Were full of sympathy and pity.
“Changshou,” Immortal Jiu Jiu coughed and said earnestly, “This must be your heart demon, perhaps developed from years of secluded cultivation with your Master.”
“Senior Brother Changshou,” Yuan Qing floated over from the side, taking out a bottle of pills and saying softly, “These are pills for clearing the mind and calming the spirit. They might help with your condition.”
“Thank you, I appreciate the thought.”
Li Changshou smiled awkwardly, and Yuan Qing immediately understood something, skillfully changing the subject.
Taking this opportunity, Li Changshou observed everyone’s reactions.
Yu Wen Ling had paid no attention to this little drama throughout, sitting there quietly in meditation, appearing very composed.
Liu Yan’er’s gaze toward him now held several parts sympathy, while Wang Qi watched him with eyes full of emotion.
They were probably thinking:
This Senior Brother (Junior Brother) has ordinary cultivation talent and has developed such a heart demon. Finding a Dao partner in the future would be a luxury. The path of cultivation is truly difficult.
—The practice of finding a Dao partner for cultivation was quite common in the Du Xian Sect.
After Yuan Qing exchanged a few pleasantries, he retreated to the back of the gourd, and Wang Qi came over to chat briefly.
Li Changshou responded with just smiles throughout, not saying much.
He felt that except for Yuan Qing, these fellow disciples who focused single-mindedly on cultivation, though ‘advanced in years,’ had surprisingly simple minds…
This made sense—these were all the ‘top students’ among their generation of disciples, spending the vast majority of their time on cultivation with minimal social interaction.
This small disturbance quickly came to an end.
Soon, the gourd quieted down again. Everyone returned to their meditation, while Li Changshou picked up his scroll once more, reading with great interest, his mood completely unaffected.
Immortal Jiu Jiu sat cross-legged at the very front with folded arms, now deep in thought; she was considering how to help Li Changshou overcome his heart demon and return to a happy cultivation life.
‘Perhaps, should I use a woman’s charm? Fight poison with poison?’
The Wine Immortal looked down at her protruding chest, followed by a series of peculiar chuckles…
Having suddenly gained this new setting for himself, Li Changshou wasn’t particularly concerned;
Although this was just an expedient measure to avoid having his cultivation level and aptitude examined by Senior Sister Jiu, he would need to pay attention to this detail throughout the upcoming journey.
Maintaining constant vigilance wasn’t particularly difficult for Li Changshou.
“Senior Brother Changshou,” a call suddenly came from behind. Li Changshou turned his head to see You Qin Xuan Ya’s face full of apology.
Though Li Changshou very much wanted to say at this moment—【Please maintain the dignity and pride befitting an ice beauty】—he could only show a slight smile, waving his hand to indicate she need not say more, then turned back to continue reading his scroll.
You Qin Xuan Ya pressed her lips together, the apologetic look never leaving her eyes.
Meanwhile, Li Changshou’s keen spiritual sense detected that Yuan Qing, meditating behind them, slightly furrowed his brows…
Two days later.
The sparsely populated Eastern Victory Divine Continent, home to numerous immortal sects, gradually fell behind them.
Along the way, the giant gourd flew through the clouds day and night without stopping, finally reaching the northwestern border of the Eastern Victory Divine Continent.
Li Changshou hadn’t cultivated during the entire journey, keeping his attention focused on the space around him, while his peripheral vision often caught glimpses of flying figures flashing past in the distant sky.
Fortunately, they hadn’t encountered any obstacles on their journey.
Jiu Jiu stretched lazily as the giant gourd began to slow down, descending toward the towering mountains below.
The Wine Immortal yawned and called out to those behind her: “Everyone stays alert, we’re about to enter the border region of the continent.
Listen well, all of you!
The Northern Luwo Continent is no friendly place. You’ve come here this time for tempering, don’t risk your lives fighting over treasures or spirit herbs.
I’ll first take you to one of the Northern Luwo Continent’s entrances. Remember this place—in the future, if you come to the Northern Luwo Continent on your own, don’t foolishly wander around everywhere.”
The five disciples stood up simultaneously, cupping their hands in respect to Jiu Jiu, and responded in unison: “We will heed Senior Sister’s teachings.”
“Good,” Jiu Jiu nodded with satisfaction.
Liu Yan’er asked softly: “Senior Sister… isn’t the Northern Luwo Continent one of the Four Great Continents? Why is there talk of an entrance? Is it because the miasma here has formed a natural formation?”
Jiu Jiu’s mouth twitched as she said indifferently: “Who knows why? You explain it to her.”
Yuan Qing from behind smiled and said: “The miasma of the Northern Luwo Continent isn’t difficult to resist for Return to Void realm cultivators who have formed their inner cycle.
The most troublesome things here are the poisonous insects and plants bred by the miasma, as well as the fierce beasts and venomous creatures that appear everywhere, which are very difficult to deal with.”
“That’s not answering the question!”
Jiu Jiu rolled her eyes and scolded Yuan Qing: “She asked why there’s an entrance, what nonsense are you answering?”
Yuan Qing smiled awkwardly and could only bow slightly.
Yu Wen Ling said in a deep voice: “Because of the demon race.”
“Correct, it’s because of the demon race. Not bad, General Big Guy, you’re quite knowledgeable.”
Jiu Jiu looked down, controlling the giant gourd to descend toward a valley among the mountains, and said seriously:
“The human race’s fortune is gathered in the Southern Jambu Continent, while the Northern Luwo Continent is where the Shamanic race was exiled;
In ancient times, to support the falling sky, several Sage Lords intervened and cut off the four legs of a Primordial Great Black Turtle here, using them as pillars of heaven.
The Black Turtle died in resentment and depression, its massive body and vast magical power transformed into the perpetual miasma of the Northern Luwo Continent. Look northwest—those aren’t rain clouds.”
Everyone looked northwest together. By now they had almost descended into the mountains and could see the rolling gray-black clouds on the horizon.
Endless, boundless.
Jiu Jiu continued:
“The miasma breeds many poisonous insects and plants, making ordinary beings dare not approach. It has become a place where various rare flowers and fruits flourish, with all kinds of fierce beasts and venomous creatures. Even Celestial Immortals dare not venture too deep.
After the War between Shamans and Demons, the remnants of the Shamanic race were exiled here. They went to the extreme north of the Northern Luwo Continent, where it’s a world of ice and snow with fewer insects and beasts, barely managing to survive, but it’s said they’re on the brink of extinction—quite tragic indeed.
And those demons who harbor hatred toward the Shamanic race, along with those driven away by our human cultivators, all gathered at the borders of the Northern Luwo Continent.
Over time, this narrow region stretching tens of thousands of miles from east to west became the most important dwelling place for the demon race.”
At this point in her introduction, Jiu Jiu observed the expressions of the disciples and found that… except for Li Changshou, they all showed varying degrees of tension.
The effect was good; time to push a bit harder.
Jiu Jiu clicked her tongue and said in a deep voice: “Look at these countless mountains around us, there are who knows how many great demons and old demons among them, some with terrifyingly powerful strength, and they especially love to eat human cultivators~”
Everyone became even more vigilant, while Li Changshou calmly nodded and continued to gaze downward.
Feeling disappointed, Jiu Jiu pointed below the gourd and continued expressionlessly:
“The town below is one of the entrances to the Northern Luwo Continent, forcibly opened by our human experts. It’s said they’ve been in a ceasefire with the demon side for thousands of years, though who knows when fighting might break out again.
When we enter the town, I’ll take you to buy some miasma-avoiding talismans and antidote pills.
Though our sect has these too, someone made this troublesome rule requiring me to bring you here to experience cultivation life and teach you about bartering.
Remember, don’t recklessly fly above this town. There are several powerful experts stationed here—you must always maintain a heart of reverence toward the strong. We’ll descend from that southeastern hillside and walk a stretch of mountain path to get there.”
The five disciples bowed and accepted the command, taking Immortal Jiu Jiu’s warnings to heart.
This town was situated in a valley, with caves carved into the cliff faces on both sides and many plank roads and wooden buildings constructed.
The valley was packed with various buildings, appearing quite chaotic from afar;
There were magnificent and bright palaces, and towering treasure pagodas, but more numerous were wooden and earthen buildings, overall lacking any planning, with only some barely passable narrow streets and alleys.
Of course, most cultivators flew through the air anyway, not needing to walk.
It was apparent that cultivators heading to the Northern Luwo Continent weren’t few, as people came and went constantly, with many cultivators setting up stalls on the rooftops of wooden and earthen buildings, where one could find numerous medicinal herbs and precious materials produced in the Northern Luwo Continent.
These herbs and materials mostly had something to do with the word ‘poison.’
Jiu Jiu, familiar with the place, summoned a white cloud and took the five disciples and Yu Wen Ling on a half-circle tour of the town, comparing prices at several stalls before letting them spend their spirit stones on some good-value pills and talismans.
Hmm? Why isn’t this guy moving?
Jiu Jiu glanced at Li Changshou, who had been standing behind her with his hands behind his back, sighed inwardly, and casually tossed a pouch over her shoulder, which landed in Li Changshou’s arms.
This kind of pouch was the simplest type of storage treasure, generally used to store fixed amounts of spirit stones.
Jiu Jiu complained: “I knew your Master wouldn’t give you much. Can’t understand why he insists on staying on that little peak…
Antidote pills and miasma-avoiding talismans are essential, hurry up and buy them. Don’t dawdle like this, you’re a grown man!”
“Uh,” Li Changshou was stunned for a moment, looking up at this Senior Sister who cared little for appearance, showing a gentle smile.
Such a smile he only showed before his Master and Junior Sister.
He was about to explain that he had prepared everything in advance, but before he could speak, another delicate hand reached over from the side, holding a stack of yellow paper talismans and two round-bellied porcelain bottles.
It was the young woman in the fire-red dress carrying a large sword.
You Qin Xuan Ya turned her head to look elsewhere, speaking in as calm a tone as possible:
“Consider it an apology to Senior Brother, for earlier…”
As she spoke, her fingers flicked lightly, using a subtle force to send the pills and talismans directly into Li Changshou’s hands, then she turned and walked to a nearby stall as if nothing had happened.
Li Changshou found it somewhat amusing, bowed slightly to her back, and didn’t say anything more.
This ice mountain didn’t live up to its name.