The night-time Divine City was not silent at all. People moved through the main streets and ancient alleys alike, and lilting music drifted from every palace hall.

Along the main streets, palace towers were innumerable — brilliant with gold and jade, blazing with light. Looking out in every direction, radiance glimmered and sparkled. Singing voices floated over, distant and ethereal, moving the heart and intoxicating the senses.

The Holy City was a city that never slept. Palace by palace, divine radiance swirled and auspicious rosy clouds bloomed — a scene like a dream.

Ye Fan said: “The Holy City has more than half its residents as cultivators — how can it be this extravagant? It doesn’t feel like sacred ground; it feels like a city of perdition, dragging people down to ruin.”

Li Heishui laughed: “Cultivators are still people — not emotionless immortals. They all have the seven passions and six desires. This is the divine city of cultivators.”

Starlight poured down, moonlight flowed like water, and the entire Holy City was draped in a layer of sacred thin mist — a scene of splendid beauty as singing and the sound of the zither chimed gently.

Fragrant wine drifted down from the sky. An immense, magnificent celestial palace blazed brilliantly, dazzling with light, floating in the sky beside the main street.

“Fine wine — absolutely a thousand-year vintage, a supreme liquor of the world!” Li Heishui gazed up at the wine palace floating in the sky, a look of intoxication crossing his face. “That must be a great figure hosting a distinguished guest in there.”

“Are great figures really this openly flamboyant?” Ye Fan was surprised.

Li Heishui shook his head and said: “That’s not flamboyance. The heights are lonely and cold; the immortal road stretches endlessly ahead — why must one toil in bitter cultivation? The path of cultivation has ten thousand methods and countless laws. Different people have different Daos. Some people forge themselves within the mortal world. Especially those great figures — once they reach a certain realm, they no longer necessarily need to enter seclusion. Many people, having passed through the five colors, re-enter the world of mortals to seek the opportunity for a breakthrough.”

Ye Fan showed a look of surprise and said: “You know quite a lot.”

“These aren’t my own insights. A few of the elder outlaws said so. To us, this mortal world still looks like the mortal world; to them, it may already be the immortal realm. Different people, different Daos — what meets their eyes is a different scene.”

“That’s truly profound — a matter of realm,” Ye Fan nodded and said: “So the flamboyance I see in my eyes may, in someone else’s, already be the immortal realm, or may have been transformed into a vivid, pure land.”

Li Heishui said: “Actually, even among the younger generation, someone has reached this spiritual realm — treading alone through ten thousand feet of mortal dust, comprehending their own Dao-boundary.”

“Who?” Ye Fan was astonished.

“Unknown — the old men didn’t say. But I think it’s only a spiritual realm; their true cultivation level couldn’t possibly be that high. If it were, it would be too terrifying — almost impossible.” Li Heishui shook his head.

High overhead, the palace floated, its lights resplendent, the wine fragrance rich, wafting across the distance and intoxicating one to the bone. Strings and flutes sounded sweetly, singing voices were captivating.

“Most likely a Grand Elder-level figure from a Holy Land, hosting some great figure as a guest,” Li Heishui speculated, then said: “Tonight we’re going to the Miaoyu Nunnery. Next time I’ll bring you here to the Intoxicated Immortal Palace — we’ll hemorrhage money on extravagance for once.”

“How much does a banquet here cost?” Ye Fan asked.

“The grade is hard to determine. The most modest feast is worth ten jin of source stones. An exceptionally lavish immortal banquet can easily cost tens of thousands of jin of source stones — or even more, beyond measure.”

Hearing this, Ye Fan drew a sharp breath. This was beyond extravagant — a single meal costing tens of thousands of jin of source stones. What exactly were they eating?

“Isn’t that a bit much?”

“Not at all. Dragon-root ginseng, divine phoenix wings… just hearing the names tells you how extraordinarily rare they are. There are even Enlightenment Teas said to allow great figures the chance of a sudden awakening.”

Ye Fan opened his mouth — truly at a loss for words. It was a long time before he said: “Who exactly runs this Intoxicated Immortal Palace?”

“The Golden Family of the Northern Plains — a terrifyingly grand background. Among the Holy City’s Eight Great Tavern Palaces, it firmly ranks in the top three.”

“Once I’ve swept the stone materials of all the major Holy Lands clean, I’ll bring you here every day for an immortal banquet,” Ye Fan said with a smile.

“An immortal banquet is only opened on rare occasions when a Holy Master entertains a great figure. Let’s not dream,” Li Heishui shook his head.

The night of the Divine City was truly unlike any other. Traveling along the ancient main streets, palace towers stretched in every direction — it felt like arriving in the immortal realm, like a dream.

Ahead, a patch of crystalline light shone — the Miaoyu Lake gleamed warmly beneath the night sky like fine jade, flickering with blue light, like an enormous gemstone.

The lakeshore was already packed with people — the vast majority young, all craning their necks in anticipation.

“The scenery here at night is truly exceptional.”

All manner of flowers and grasses along the shore glimmered with rosy radiance, complementing the crystalline, glowing blue of the great lake — like a paradise garden from another world.

Silver-white moonlight spilled down. Ten or so jade vessels drifted lightly on the lake, each with a beautiful woman standing aboard, skirts and robes flowing, jade flutes singing melodically — as if the sound came from a vast, pristine world beyond, cleansing the spirit.

Farther out, dragon ships and phoenix pavilion-boats all radiated five-colored radiance, hazy and dreamlike in the night.

And deep within the lake, high in the sky, it was even more magnificent — stretches of jade towers and jeweled palaces, half-hidden, half-revealed, wreathed in night and mist, gleaming and shimmering.

“It truly feels like arriving at an immortal palace. The Miaoyu Nunnery has quite the hand — they’ve made even a pleasure quarter this transcendent and pure,” Ye Fan said.

“Naturally. Their pleasure establishments in the Divine City are rarely matched — only the Water Moon Small Lodge and the Vast Cold Palace can compare.”

“Many people must understand perfectly well what is really happening — so why do they still flock here, even including the heirs of the Holy Lands?”

Li Heishui laughed and said: “Those heirs have hearts firm as iron. They don’t necessarily come because they’re moved — it’s pleasure, nothing more.”

Ye Fan nodded and said: “That’s also true. The Miaoyu Nunnery needs the support of future Holy Masters, and the heirs of the Holy Lands also want to see the most beautiful woman in the Eastern Desolation.”

“Though it’s hard to say for certain. After all, An Miaoyi is unlike past abbesses — her celestial beauty is unmatched. A woman this flawless may genuinely cause certain heirs to fall.”

Ye Fan laughed and said: “And you?”

“Me… if I could hold a beauty close, that would naturally be wonderful.” Li Heishui laughed heartily.

“You, fellow — make sure you don’t fall.”

“I genuinely should be careful. Especially you, little Ye — young as you are, not the most resolute in spirit, never having encountered this kind of situation before. Don’t let yourself get caught in the trap.”

Ye Fan was somewhat speechless.

“Don’t disbelieve me — I’m speaking the truth. Past abbesses of the Miaoyu Nunnery caused Holy Sons and heirs of the Desolate Ancient families to fall. And this generation’s An Miaoyi is ranked among the most beautiful women in the vast Eastern Desolation. The ‘among’ there is modesty — she may well be the number one beauty in the Eastern Desolation.”

Ye Fan let a faint cold smile touch the corner of his lips and said: “Pleasure at its peak is nothing more than the human heart. If she sends her physical form to me, I’ll simply accept it — what more could there be?”

“Never underestimate them. If you take that attitude of contempt, you may truly fall into her trap,” Li Heishui said with uncharacteristic gravity. “Their lineage, setting aside deep reserves and strength, truly isn’t much weaker than a Holy Land. Their techniques are strange — nearly impossible to guard against.”

“What exactly do they cultivate? Could it really rival ancient scriptures?”

“In years past, they had an ancient Daoist dual-cultivation divine technique. I only recently learned that over a thousand years ago they obtained another cultivation method — reportedly a secret Buddhist text from the Western Desert. Now, cultivating both Buddhist and Daoist techniques simultaneously, they have developed them to a wondrous and mysterious level.”

“Dual cultivation… can that really work?” Ye Fan had heard of it before, but found it hard to believe in such a cultivation method.

“You’ll understand in a moment,” Li Heishui said with a heh-heh laugh.

“Buddhism…” Ye Fan rubbed his chin but said nothing more.

Suddenly, strings and flutes rang out together, beautiful singing curled through the night air, stirring the heart.

“This servant, An Miaoyi…”

That celestial voice descended — An Miaoyi finally appeared. Like an immortal from the Vast Cold Moon Palace, she was ethereally transcendent beneath the moonlight, white robes flowing, gliding into a flower boat.

It was a five-colored jade vessel, piled high with fresh flowers, auspicious rosy clouds glimmering — it carried her into the misty depths of the great lake.

“What does this mean?” someone asked, puzzled.

“The main act is here — if you want a close-up view of her beauty, you’ll need to spend source stones.”

The lakeshore instantly erupted. Many people rushed forward, competing to purchase jade vessels and row out onto the lake — a roar of noise.

Ye Fan and Li Heishui went forward to inquire. The source stones required were absurdly expensive, leaving both of them speechless. Yet many people paid without a second thought, all for the chance to meet An Miaoyi at close range.

“It’s just An Miaoyi — is she really worth all this?” Even Li Heishui was left somewhat speechless. The jade vessels were practically sold out, the prices utterly astronomical — yet there were simply too many people with source stones to spare, every one of them throwing money without hesitation.

“Can’t we just fly over?” Ye Fan said.

“Far too undignified. And we might get driven back,” Li Heishui thought for a moment, then scanned the crowd, and his eyes lit up. “Got one.”

He had fixed his gaze on a disciple of a major sect and grinned with a heh-heh. “That’s the Seventh Disciple of the Five Elements Palace’s sect master — I’ve seen this fellow before.”

This Five Elements Palace disciple had paid an astronomical price to board an enormous dragon ship — much larger than the adjacent jade vessels, impressively grand.

Ye Fan assumed he intended to hitch a ride, but instead Li Heishui walked over, pulled one of the Five Elements Palace Seventh Disciple’s attendants aside, and whispered something in his ear.

The result: the attendant moved as if his backside had caught fire and rushed to report to his master.

“What?!” The Five Elements Palace Seventh Disciple’s face changed at once. He quickly stepped off the dragon ship and hurried away through the crowd.

Li Heishui sauntered grandly onto the dragon ship, then waved Ye Fan over, welcoming him aboard as well.

The onlookers were completely baffled, not understanding what had happened. The dragon ship had simply changed owners — but it wasn’t their place to ask too many questions, so they watched as the two of them sailed out onto the great lake.

“What did you say to him?” Ye Fan asked.

“I simply provided a piece of information — that his fiancée, who rivals a mother tigress in ferocity, had arrived,” Li Heishui replied without a care.

“Aren’t you a bit cruel?” Ye Fan got his first real impression of Li Heishui’s methods.

Li Heishui laughed and said: “His fiancée is the sect master of the Five Elements Palace’s youngest daughter. Even if he suspected it was false, he would absolutely not dare remain here a moment longer — his entire future hinges on that relationship.”

Out on the great lake, jade vessels were numerous, but dragon ships like theirs were limited in number — all had been reserved by disciples of major sects.

They stood at the prow, steering with divine power, cutting through the waves and arriving in the deep reaches of the great lake.

Killing intent!

Both of them sensed it simultaneously — enormously powerful, though not directed at them.

Not far away, a divine ship even larger than their dragon ship floated on the water. Upon it stood a lone figure in purple robes, hands clasped behind his back, dark hair whipping in the wind, his eyes profoundly deep.

“The young master of the Celestial Demon Palace!” Li Heishui said with a start.

Across from him, a gold-yellow great ship, equally enormous — like a tower-pavilion — had another man standing aboard it.

He wore a set of golden war armor, his bearing heroic and imposing, his skin a tone of ancient bronze, his face as if carved by a blade, his long brows sweeping back toward his temples — he looked extraordinarily martial.

“The heir of the Northern Plains Golden Family!” Li Heishui grinned with a heh-heh. “Never mind the Holy Lands — with just these two here, there’s already a fine show to watch. Not long ago, they fought each other to a standstill.”