Outside Qian Qu City, cannons roared and smoke filled the air.

In the height of summer, dark clouds gathered above Hong Fu County, with battleships shrouded in a chilling, murderous wind.

Qian Qu’s formation was reinforced with the golden light of fortune, like an impregnable fortress.

Meng He Ze and Wei Zhen Yu led the Song Academy disciples into battle, restraining the Yuan Ying cultivators from deploying divine abilities in the air.

The Qian Qu reinforcements, led by the Little Hua Wei Sect, held back the ground cultivators’ assault.

The remaining Immortal Alliance cultivators who tried to seize the opportunity to attack the city had to face concentrated attacks from cannons and firearms.

After three days, each sect in the Righteous Immortal Alliance had suffered casualties, and no one was willing to be cannon fodder anymore.

“Those ordinary people have sufficient gunpowder and take turns in battle, while we need to recover our spiritual energy.”

“Peak Master Zhao took half our forces away. Breaking the city requires long-term planning.”

“Let’s retreat to Hong Fu County first and seek instructions from Master Xu Yun!”

Dark clouds blocked the sun, and black winds swept the ground.

On the Immortal Alliance battleships, the atmosphere was gloomy, with some already harboring thoughts of retreat.

“Qian Qu’s weapons are more powerful than we imagined. Our spies have reported that Qian Qu has eighteen iron puppets, incredibly sturdy and intricately constructed, capable of moving freely by consuming spirit stones. These puppets feel no pain yet possess the power of Golden Core cultivators.”

“Only Qian Qu could create such weapons that counter cultivators. First, they have spirit stone mines, and second, they have Song Qian Ji’s permission.”

“We underestimated ordinary people’s wisdom. Even if we can capture Qian Qu this time, we’ll pay an enormous price, which may not be worth it.”

To reduce casualties and costs on their side and ensure steady victory, Yuan Qing Shi, the chief disciple under Xu Yun, proposed a strategy.

“Fellow unorthodox cultivators, from now on, as long as you make great contributions to the righteous cause, it will be enough to offset your past wrongdoings. Afterward, you can become guest elders and enjoy the sect’s provisions,” Hua Wei Sect announced.

Unorthodox cultivators, hearing this news, came from all directions.

They were promised substantial rewards and were well-entertained with fine wine and delicacies in Hong Fu County. They immediately used all their skills, hurling insults at the city walls of Qian Qu and taking turns deploying poisonous substances and toxic smoke.

For a time, outside Qian Qu City, demonic winds rolled, crows flew everywhere, the ground was scorched, and poisonous insects, snakes, and ants ran rampant.

The reinforcements couldn’t bear the harassment. Chen Hong Zhu applied an amplifying talisman and shouted: “You collude with demonic heretics yet claim to be righteous!”

“Sister, you’re too naive. Special times require special measures, and only the victor can write history. Stop being obstinate—leave this place now and return to Hua Wei Mountain. Master is still waiting for you in the Qian Kun Hall,” Yuan Qing Shi advised.

The disciples of the Little Hua Wei Sect cursed the Immortal Alliance for their shamelessness.

“They came up with this idea.” Wei Zhen Yu shook his head.

No matter how deranged the unorthodox cultivators were, as long as they contributed to the Qian Qu battle, they could receive huge rewards and start anew. For unorthodox cultivators who were constantly hunted and forced to hide, this was undoubtedly extremely tempting.

Meng He Ze: “I’ve dealt with these demonic heretics before. I’ll go.”

“Before? When?” Wei Zhen Yu was puzzled.

“What do you think?”

Wei Zhen Yu suddenly realized: “The Three Lives Stone?”

Meng He Ze said irritably: “You know already, no need to say it out loud. Qian Qu Hunting Team, apply miasma-avoiding talismans and follow me into battle. Follow my commands!”

Regarding the flaws in various unorthodox sect techniques and the weaknesses in their moves, Meng He Ze could point them out with his eyes closed.

The Qian Qu Hunting Team charged in like tigers among sheep, making their opponents wail and howl.

Suddenly, Wei Zhen Yu was heard calling loudly: “Fellow Daoists who have come from afar, please listen to what I have to say!”

“What are you doing? Negotiating peace?” Meng He Ze sent a sound transmission to ask.

“Keep fighting. Don’t mind me,” Wei Zhen Yu transmitted back.

Wei Zhen Yu continued loudly: “Righteous cultivators are treacherous and cunning. For the sake of their righteous reputation, they will never acknowledge your contributions. Once Qian Qu City falls, they’ll come after you next. If you don’t believe me, think about any time in history when it wasn’t so.”

Someone below the city shouted: “You think we’re fools? Hua Wei Sect has sworn to fulfill their promises!”

“Who made the oath? Can they represent the Hua Wei Sect? Even if they die fulfilling the oath, others can still take action. Oh, they don’t need to die—they can first give you spirit stones, magical weapons, elder positions, fulfill their promises, and then have their sect members kill you afterward. Once Qian Qu’s gates are broken, this place will be full of righteous cultivators. Could you escape then?” Wei Zhen Yu sincerely advised. “Don’t fall into the righteous cultivators’ trap! Look back—you’re fighting to the death here, while they’re cooling off and enjoying themselves in the cloud ships!”

Meng He Ze shouted: “Wei Zhen Yu, stop wasting words! I was just warming up and haven’t had enough killing yet!”

Despite his words, he also knew he couldn’t push the enemy too far. If he provoked their determination for a death battle, it would consume his side’s fighting strength instead.

While Meng He Ze shouted ferociously, he deliberately exposed weaknesses in their battle formation, giving the enemy a way to escape.

Wei Zhen Yu continued: “Meng He Ze, I know you’re formidable, but our enemies are only the ‘Righteous Immortal Alliance.’ These Daoists have been deceived by villains to come here. Heaven values all life—please spare them a path to survival.”

Meng He Ze: “Heaven may value all life, but I don’t. Whoever dares to come to Qian Qu and cause trouble has only one path—death.”

Wei Zhen Yu: “I hate this attitude of yours the most! Oh my, there’s a gap in the southwest—fellow Daoists, hurry and breakthrough there!”

One played the red face, the other the white face, performing a Qian Qu duet.

The unorthodox crowd was beaten by Meng He Ze on one hand and incited by Wei Zhen Yu on the other. Unable to hold on for even half an hour, they scattered like birds and beasts.

The crows flew away, the poisonous creatures dispersed, and the world returned to clarity.

Cheers like the sea erupted from Qian Qu’s city walls as Meng He Ze returned triumphantly.

……

In the largest and most magnificent cloud ship above Hong Fu County, the leaders of various sects in the Righteous Immortal Alliance gathered.

They discussed countermeasures, furrowing their brows, and waiting anxiously.

Finally, a shadow appeared out of thin air. Yuan Qing Shi hurriedly stepped forward and bowed: “The poison smoke and mist dropped from the sky were all blocked by the formation. We’ve also tried poisoning the water source in Hong Fu County, but the water flowing into Qian Qu first passes through a water purification formation. When Song Qian Ji personally introduced water and dug channels years ago, he casually made many arrangements.”

“North of Qian Qu is the Poisonous Miasma Forest. Qian Qu people carry firearms daily to hunt in the forest, dealing with all kinds of poisonous creatures. Poison can’t affect them, and those unorthodox cultivators have been driven back by Meng He Ze. Master, your disciple has exhausted all strategies.”

Various sects outwardly agreed, but inwardly blamed Hua Wei Sect. With Xu Yun’s half-step Transformation stage power, if he came, how could Qian Qu’s gates not be broken? What was Xu Yun still waiting for?

“You are now the leader of the Immortal Alliance and the world’s number one. Please think of a solution.”

“So far, we’ve consumed ten million spirit stones. Those ordinary people in Qian Qu don’t need to replenish their spiritual energy. We can’t outlast them.”

Xu Yun’s shadow was projected on the wall, appearing extremely tall.

He slowly said: “You’ve forgotten that there’s something invisible and colorless yet immensely powerful that no formation can block.”

“There’s such a thing in the world?”

Xu Yun said calmly: “Sound.”

With that, he waved his sleeve, and the shadow dissipated.

As everyone was stunned, suddenly someone outside the cloud ship announced loudly:

“Immortal Lady Wang Shu has arrived—”

Colorful clouds drifted, light gauze floated, and more than ten beautiful female cultivators with radiant smiles led the way, carrying instruments such as zithers, lutes, pipes, and konghou.

Immortal Lady Wang Shu arrived riding a black gold carriage, appearing unworldly and transcendent.

Yuan Qing Shi was overjoyed: “Master is truly prophetic!”

With Wang Shu’s arrival, the Righteous Immortal Alliance’s morale was greatly boosted.

Invisible, colorless, yet immensely powerful—wasn’t that precisely the sound attack technique of the Celestial Sound Gate?

Wang Shu was Xu Yun’s good friend and the current head of the Celestial Sound Gate.

After the Zither Immortal’s fall and Jiang Yun’s death, she became the world’s number one in the way of sound.

Everyone gathered on the cloud ship’s deck to watch Wang Shu set up her zither table and burn incense to honor heaven.

“This piece of mine is called ‘The Great Sorrow.'” Wang Shu said calmly. “When the piece is nearly finished, Qian Qu’s faith and willpower will be at its weakest. You need to seize the opportunity to break through Qian Qu’s formation.”

Yuan Qing Shi said joyfully: “Thank you for your trouble, Elder. We will not disappoint your painstaking effort!”

The cloud ship moved, approaching Qian Qu.

Ethereal zither sounds drifted down from the clouds, like autumn rain tapping on tiles, drop by drop, scattering down.

“What melody is this? It sounds beautiful.” The people of Qian Qu looked up at the sky, their eyes showing confusion.

The world was enveloped in zither sounds as melancholic as autumn rain.

The zither music gradually intensified, and clouds gathered accordingly, covering the blue sky black and pressing down on people’s hearts.

Though the Immortal Alliance members were prepared, they were still drawn in by the melody. It was as if hearing this piece made one recall all the sorrows of the human world.

Life had no meaning, cultivation had no meaning, and fighting had even less meaning—everything was empty and void, eventually returning to dust.

They only wanted to be immersed in the zither sound, no longer caring about the troubles of the mundane world.

Seeing some people with moist eyes, Yuan Qing Shi shouted: “Wake up quickly! Guard your spirits!”

Everyone was startled and broke free from the zither sound, then became ecstatic.

Immortal Lady Wang Shu’s zither piece was so powerful that even their cultivators who heard it fell into sorrowful moods. How much more so for the ordinary people of Qian Qu who were targeted by the Celestial Sound Technique?

Ordinary people had no spiritual energy to protect themselves, and their souls were fragile. Once attracted by the zither sound, they would be invaded by sorrow and despair, wanting nothing more than to bite their tongues and commit suicide.

After the news that Song Qian Ji wasn’t dead spread, Qian Qu’s momentum was at its peak, and their faith and willpower grew stronger and stronger.

But when this piece ended, Qian Qu’s people would surely lose heart, and their fighting spirit would collapse!

“With Elder Wang Shu here, they indeed have no way out!”

“In this great victory, Elder Wang Shu deserves the primary credit!”

Hearing the praise around her, Wang Shu’s lips revealed a faint smile, and her zither-playing movements became increasingly fluid.

Although she had defeated Jiang Yun, the Celestial Sound Gate had suffered great losses in internal strife. Miao Yan and He Qing Qing had also disappeared into a secret realm.

She needed a major battle to secure her position as sect leader and prove that her faction was the orthodox lineage of Celestial Sound.

Qian Qu was eerily quiet, like a dead city.

Wang Shu’s ten fingers flew like butterflies flitting among flowers.

The zither sound resounded throughout heaven and earth, like a fierce wind and sudden rain!

The Righteous Immortal Alliance’s morale surged, and they cheered loudly.

The cultivators displayed their magical artifacts, rubbing their palms together, preparing for a great battle.

Yuan Qing Shi called out loudly: “Everyone! As the zither piece comes to an end, today is the day Qian Qu City falls. Follow me—”

Before he finished, suddenly a song drifted from Qian Qu’s direction.

The song was initially weak, like a child humming softly, then grew louder, lively and cheerful, like a babbling brook.

Finally, it converged into a river, grand and majestic.

Everyone was puzzled.

“What are they singing?”

“So catchy. It must be a folk song.”

The song soared into the clouds, impacting the cloud ship. When everyone heard the lyrics clearly, their faces instantly paled:

“My hometown is on the fields of Qian Qu.

You ask if my hometown is beautiful—the small river flows with apricot blossoms fragrant.

You ask how we live—meat hangs on beams, granaries full of grain.

You ask who to thank for all this—the immortal who descended was Lord Song.

You ask why we fight—demons and monsters are too rampant, too rampant…”

Wang Shu’s fingertips slipped, the zither strings tightened, and cold sweat streamed down her forehead.

She forcefully gathered her energy, raising the zither notes, dangerously yet skillfully sliding past the low point and climbing to a higher peak.

The song from Qian Qu continued, the voices more resounding.

Tens of thousands of people roared in unison, sound waves like rolling floods, dispersing the dark clouds, sweeping across heaven and earth:

“The fifth month’s sky is clear, every household busy harvesting wheat.

How can we tolerate evil dogs? How can we accommodate jackals and wolves?

Hands steady, hearts calm, putting down sickles to fight!

Standing up to battle, setting examples for our children, leaving glory for our ancestors.

United in heart and strength to protect our homeland, protect our homeland.

Next year when spring winds turn willows green, we’ll gather again on Qian Qu’s fields!”

“Poof!”

The zither strings suddenly snapped, and Wang Shu spat out a mouthful of fresh blood.

“Sect Leader!”

“Immortal Lady Wang Shu!”

Everyone hurriedly surrounded her, offering spiritual medicines and transferring spiritual energy.

“Elder, don’t be anxious. First, take this spiritual medicine to heal your old wounds. We’ll fight again tomorrow,” said Yuan Qing Shi.

Hearing these words, everyone recalled Wang Shu’s great battle with Jiang Yun, assuming her old wounds had flared up, and they all tried to comfort her.

Wang Shu wiped the blood from her lips, her face as pale as paper.

She put away her zither and slowly stood up, supported by her disciple’s hand, shaking her head desolately: “No, it won’t work. I’m leaving.”

Yuan Qing Shi’s heart sank. Then he heard someone behind him humming the song and became furious: “Why are you singing along with Qian Qu’s battle song?!”

“The Qian Qu Battle Song” had simple and easy-to-understand lyrics with a catchy melody. By the third repetition, a million people in Qian Qu were singing at the top of their lungs.

The Immortal Alliance cultivators couldn’t help but hum along.

After being called out by Yuan Qing Shi, everyone quickly locked their hearing and communicated through sound transmission.

But the melody of this song seemed to have magical properties, truly bewitching to the ears. Even without hearing it, it still played in a loop in their minds.

The more they tried not to listen, the clearer it became. No matter what scriptures they recited, they couldn’t drive “The fifth month’s sky is clear, every household busy harvesting wheat” from their minds.

“Get out of my head, stop singing! Shut up!”

“How can we tolerate evil dogs? How can we accommodate jackals and wolves—hey~”

At that moment, the faces of the Immortal Alliance members were contorted in extreme pain.

Wang Shu recovered and shook her head: “It’s not your fault. Within Qian Qu, there’s another powerful sound cultivator stationed.”

“How is this possible?” Yuan Qing Shi was shocked.

At the Hua Wei Sect’s celebratory banquet years ago, Song Qian Ji had borrowed a jade flute to fight alone against the Celestial Sound disciples, without helpers.

None of the Qian Qu cultivators he had brought knew music.

“It’s just an ordinary farming song. How could it break my Celestial Sound Technique? This song seems simple, but, every beat, every note, has been designed by a master, secretly harmonizing with Qian Qu’s spiritual energy circulation and drawing on Qian Qu’s fortune. As soon as I use music to attack, this song mobilizes Qian Qu’s spiritual energy to counter me. Who exactly is this person?!”

Wang Shu couldn’t figure it out, and others were even more confused.

Where could Qian Qu find a music expert?

In front of the massive army, defeating Wang Shu was the perfect opportunity to make a name for oneself. Why not come out and challenge them?

As everyone was lost in confusion, a light laugh sounded outside the cloud ship:

“Who else could it be but your good disciple!”

The newcomer wore a green long dress, with her hair piled high in clouds, a face like a lotus, and her beauty radiant like a knife.

“He Qing Qing!” Wang Shu’s gaze was icy cold. “You are indeed still alive!”

He Qing Qing, leading hundreds of Celestial Sound disciples, openly stepped onto the cloud ship and laughed: “Wang Shu, the Celestial Sound Token is here. Why don’t you kneel before the sect leader?”

As soon as she spoke, the entire scene fell silent.

Wang Shu shouted angrily: “How could the Celestial Sound Token be in your hands! Celestial Sound disciples hear my command—capture this rebel!”

The confrontation between the two factions of the Celestial Sound Gate reappeared.

“Elder, please don’t be angry,” Yuan Qing Shi stood between the two. “My master said earlier that during a great battle, unity is paramount, and personal grudges should be set aside.”

Wang Shu looked around and saw everyone turning a blind eye, seemingly assessing the situation, with no intention of helping.

“Just now I spat blood in public and showed weakness. They dare not take a stand and instead want to stop me. Very well, I’ll spare this demonic woman for now.”

She wanted to spare He Qing Qing, but He Qing Qing wouldn’t spare her:

“Wang Shu, it was you who killed my master. Do you admit it?”

“It was me. I admit it. What can you do about it?”

Wang Shu raised her head, smiling silently.

With all the world’s cultivators present, and Xu Yun’s shadow potentially descending at any moment, could you kill me?

With the enemy at the gates and the situation pressing, who would allow you to kill me?

Suddenly, He Qing Qing also smiled: “I won’t kill you. I want the world to be so vast, yet with no place for you to exist.”

……

The people of Qian Qu were unaware of the changes in the sky and were celebrating their victory with song.

Educational Official Zhu Ping organized the children of Qian Qu Academy, teaching them to sing.

The children walked through streets and alleys, finishing “The Qian Qu Battle Song,” then sang “The Wheat Harvesting Song,” “The Wheat Planting Song,” “The Fishing Song,” and “The Harvest Festival Praise Song.”

Songs filled Qian Qu, and people sang with increasing vigor.

“Master Zhu, did you write all these songs?” Wei Zhen Yu stopped Zhu Ping.

“I wrote the lyrics, but the melody was composed by a young lady. I dare not take credit,” Zhu Ping smiled.

“What kind of young lady? Can she play the zither? Is she beautiful?” Wei Zhen Yu frowned.

“I haven’t heard her play,” Zhu Ping thought for a moment. “She’s probably some farmer’s daughter. She was wrapped in an old cloth cape, with short, rough hair, and didn’t like to talk. She teaches children at the academy to sing, beat drums, and play copper gongs. As for her appearance, I’m a teacher—how could I stare at a girl’s face? But if she were truly beautiful, her reputation as a beauty would have spread long ago.”

“Coarse cloth, ordinary appearance…” Wei Zhen Yu shook his head. “It shouldn’t be her. Never mind, it’s nothing. Please continue with your work, Master.”

……

The “Righteous Immortal Alliance,” divided into two routes, had failed in attacking Qian Qu and hadn’t gained any advantage on the other front either.

Zhao Tai Ji led people ferociously to the White Dragon River, thinking they would advance smoothly like a hot knife through butter, but they were caught off guard by local gangs.

By the time they recovered and regrouped, those people had disappeared into the mountains like mountain spirits and wild beasts.

The small gangs living off the river were familiar with the terrain and covered for each other, while the various sects of the Immortal Alliance began to blame one another.

They hadn’t yet realized that this was merely the beginning.

All along the way afterward, various miscellaneous forces emerged, with all kinds of traps and hidden arrows, impossible to guard against.

Great Mystery Sect, Flower Stream Sect, and their ilk would confront them directly. Some rogue cultivators, knowing they couldn’t win in direct combat, would trip them up in the dark and then flee, never lingering in battle, exhausting them to the point of fatigue.

Zhao Tai Ji had no choice but to send a message to Xu Yun for help.

Meanwhile, Song Qian Ji and Xian Jian Chen traveled lightly.

The two crossed Purple Cloud Mountain, flew over Quicksand River, crossed White Dragon River, waded through Poisonous Snake Marsh, and traversed Jade Gate Ridge…

Finally, they entered the Snow Plains.

The Snow Plains were cold, with howling winds.

In the past two days, occasional attacks from lightning wolves, snow cloud leopards, iceberg bears, and other beast demons had allowed Song Qian Ji to hone his swordsmanship.

Of Xian Jian Chen’s nine swords, he had already acquired five: Shadowless, Spring Autumn, Halt, River Crossing, and Waning Moon—like five friends with vastly different temperaments, circling him daily for casual chats.

By the third day, not even the shadows of beast demons could be seen.

The scenery remained unchanged as if only blue and white colors remained in the world.

Between the ice-blue sky and the stretching snow mountains, a shadowless sword sliced through.

To conserve spiritual energy, the Shadowless Sword didn’t fly too high.

One person on the sword said: “The journey is so long and lonely. Sing a song to alleviate Master’s boredom!”

The white-robed youth controlling the sword said: “I don’t know how.”

“Then tell a joke.”

“I don’t know how to do that either.”

Xian Jian Chen gave a light “tsk”: “You must at least be able to tell a story, right?”

Song Qian Ji thought for a moment: “Have you heard of a mortal legend called Tang Monk’s Journey to the West?”

“What’s interesting about a monk’s story?” Xian Jian Chen swung his legs. “Choose another!”

Song Qian Ji: “But this story has four people who, like us, keep traveling westward.”

Xian Jian Chen: “Did the monk also have a sword placed at the edge of the continent?”

“The monk had no sword. The monk went to the Western Heaven to fetch scriptures for the salvation of all living beings.”

Xian Jian Chen became interested: “A little monk daring to make such a great vow. Tell me in detail.”

Stories are the perfect way to pass the time.

The sunset and the moon rose, and another day passed.

The moon on the Snow Plains was extremely bright, illuminating the ice and snow like glazed glass.

Song Qian Ji finished telling the eighty-one ordeals.

Xian Jian Chen, still wanting more, asked if there was a continuation.

Song Qian Ji smiled: “Don’t you think there’s a main character in this story who’s very much like you?”

Xian Jian Chen puffed out his chest: “Master must be Golden Cicada, subduing a rebellious disciple, intent on the westward journey?”

Song Qian Ji shook his head: “Wrong.”

“Could it be Sun Wukong, with seventy-two transformations and fiery golden eyes?”

“Still wrong.”

“Then Zhu Wuneng? The Heavenly Marshal Canopy, affectionate and sincere.”

“Guess again.”

“Sha Wujing! The Curtain-Raising General, golden-bodied arhat.”

“Very close, just a little bit off.”

“Hey, what are you playing at? There are only four main characters in total!”

“Oh, the White Dragon Horse doesn’t count?”

Xian Jian Chen was stunned for a moment, then raised his fist: “So I’m just a mount? You little brat!”

Song Qian Ji dodged left and right, causing the Shadowless Sword to shake violently.

Song Qian Ji hurriedly controlled the sword to descend: “Hey hey, what are you doing! You’re the one who wanted to hear the story!”

“Daring to say Master is a mount—asking for death!”

The Shadowless Sword fell to the ground, splashing up snow dust.

Amidst the laughter, Song Qian Ji’s expression suddenly changed: “Someone’s coming.”

“Finally here.” Xian Jian Chen put away his fist and looked toward the shadow covering the moon.

He laughed softly: “Being a mount is fine. Without the White Dragon Horse, no matter how capable Golden Cicada and the three disciples were, they still couldn’t have reached the Western Heaven and retrieved the true scriptures.”

Even the longest journey eventually comes to an end.

Even the most numerous enemies will eventually be killed off.

No matter how difficult the Western Heaven is, it will ultimately be reached.