Li’er Kingdom is located at the southernmost point of Duzhou’s map, a sea island on the Western Sea. The island forms its nation, named Li’er, because its shape resembles a human ear.
The Western Sea is extremely beautiful, with seawater as clear and bright as azure emerald. The beaches stretch endlessly, and it’s hot year-round. While spring hasn’t yet arrived on Gufeng Mountain, the moment one steps onto Li’er Kingdom’s soil, even the air becomes humid.
Zanxing raised her eyes to look in all directions.
Compared to Pingyang Town, Li’er Kingdom’s scenery better fits the description of a “tourist city.” Sunlight illuminates the entire sea island. There’s only one city in the nation – the city is the nation.
Because Li’er Kingdom’s secret realm opens every ten years, the sect cultivators coming from various places are mostly well-off, and with the principle of “travel rich even if poor at home,” this greatly stimulates Li’er Kingdom’s consumer demand, rapidly elevating it from a remote small island nation to one of Duzhou’s “Ten Most Beautiful Beaches.”
Tian Fangfang was seeing the ocean for the first time and was amazed beyond measure, saying: “I previously went to Pingyang Town and thought it was already very lively. I never imagined this tiny island nation could be so prosperous.”
Along Li’er Kingdom’s beaches grow mangrove forests. Moving forward from near the beach is Li’er Kingdom’s capital city. The capital is extremely prosperous, with wine towers built tall and grand, and markets and bazaars having everything one could want. On the roads, one could occasionally see some cultivators wearing long robes – locals wouldn’t dress this way, as they mostly wear cool, light clothing.
The streets are flat and smooth, clearly specially maintained to facilitate carriage travel. Many of Li’er Kingdom’s locals sit smiling in their shops, watching the passing cultivators and chatting leisurely, looking very content with high happiness levels.
Zanxing walked while observing. Everyone here had comfortable and peaceful expressions on their faces, quickly giving one a relaxed vacation feeling.
“The secret realm won’t open for another five days,” Tian Fangfang suggested. “Why don’t we wander around later to see what good things are here? We could even buy some things to take back for Master and our martial uncles?”
“Come on,” Mendong pursed his lips. “We need to first register our names at the city garrison headquarters and meet with Li’er Kingdom’s ruler. Don’t delay important matters.”
Tian Fangfang scratched her head: “I was just speaking casually.”
All sect cultivators participating in this secret realm trial must first register at Li’er Kingdom’s city garrison headquarters upon arrival. Then they must meet with Li’er Kingdom’s ruler, as it’s said the secret realm entrance is in Li’er Kingdom’s royal mausoleum garden. Without the ruler’s permission, others cannot enter. Over the years, the cultivation world’s sects have reached an agreement with the Li’er Kingdom. The sects get opportunities for secret realm trials, while Li’er Kingdom desperately earns money from the sect cultivators, each taking what they need.
Zanxing’s group first went to the city garrison headquarters to register, then followed a guide to Li’er Kingdom’s royal palace.
Li’er Kingdom’s royal palace was built very elegantly. Unlike the deep and magnificent solemnity of Taiyan Sect’s main halls, it looked more like a garden estate. The hall roofs had smooth, curved forms, and the walls were made of jade-white tiles. Li’er Kingdom’s people revered white, considering it a sacred and noble color. The halls occasionally used azure glass columns, and between halls hung bead curtains with a lingering fragrance.
Li’er Kingdom’s ruler was a thin, middle-aged man with delicate, fair features. He wore ivory-white robes and a jade crown. Looking at the entering group, his face showed a trace of a smile.
“Honored immortals, please sit,” he said.
This ruler spoke in a refined, gentle manner, appearing courteous without any airs of a sovereign.
“Upon receiving news from your esteemed sect that arrangements had changed, with Xianzi Zi Luo being replaced by Immortal Gu, I was somewhat skeptical. I didn’t expect it to be true.” The ruler looked at Gu Baiying with fervent eyes: “To be able to see Immortal Gu’s true appearance in this lifetime fills me with incomparable honor.”
Zanxing felt her teeth ache listening to this, but Gu Baiying was already accustomed to such flattery and calmly drank tea while listening to the other party continue praising.
The ruler asked about Taiyan Sect’s recent circumstances over the years, seeming to have very deep relations with Taiyan Sect. Just as Zanxing was getting drowsy from listening, Tian Fangfang beside her poked her arm with a finger and exchanged a glance with her.
Zanxing understood and stood up together with Tian Fangfang. They spoke a few words to the tea-serving maid in the hall, who nodded and escorted the two of them out.
As soon as they left the hall, Zanxing took a deep breath.
Reminiscing with this ruler, who knew how long that would take? It was better for the two of them to come out first for some fresh air. After all, the other party only had eyes for Gu Baiying and Meng Ying anyway. Fortunately, in this cultivation world, even rulers were always polite when dealing with cultivators, without so many elaborate ceremonies. Otherwise, even this brief moment of breathing space would be impossible to find.
Just as she was thinking this, footsteps came from behind them. The two turned to look and saw Mu Cengxiao also walking out of the hall.
“Junior martial brother, why did you come out too?” Tian Fangfang asked.
“I heard there’s a market nearby, so I plan to go take a look,” Mu Cengxiao said.
Zanxing nodded. That’s right – although she had forgotten many plot details, the male protagonist often visited markets and would always gain something.
Mimi also slipped out of the hall and ran to Zanxing’s side, nuzzling against her skirt. Zanxing looked down at it: “I won’t carry you. If you want to go, walk yourself.”
“Senior martial sister,” Tian Fangfang couldn’t help saying, “don’t be so harsh to a cat.”
“If it doesn’t move around more, it’ll turn into a pig,” Zanxing said. “Parental love means planning far ahead for them – you don’t understand.”
Tian Fangfang stopped talking.
The three people and one cat left the palace directly and walked in the direction they had come from earlier. That street had especially many markets and wine towers, looking particularly prosperous, perfect for aimless wandering.
At this moment, the scorching sun was directly overhead. Except for the locals who weren’t afraid of the sun, there were hardly any cultivators left on the streets. At doorways were vendors selling sweet syrup, with long tables displaying various melons and fruits, and wooden buckets filled with large blocks of ice. When customers came, they would use cups made from flowers to fill with sweet syrup, chip some crushed ice to throw in, then add two slices of fruit – it looked cooling and thirst-quenching, both beautiful and delicious.
Zanxing thought to herself that tourist cities knew how to trick people into spending money, making everything so fancy and elaborate. If she weren’t strapped for cash, she would buy a cup to try something new.
Tian Fangfang was drooling at the sight, but ultimately couldn’t bear to spend her spirit stones. She whispered to Zanxing: “Junior martial sister, let’s have our martial uncle buy some later.”
“Dream on,” Zanxing replied without thinking. “He would say, ‘Buy what? These vulgar worldly foods that mortals eat have no spiritual energy. To take them in hand would only disgrace our Taiyan Sect’s reputation.”
“…Junior martial sister,” Tian Fangfang silently gave Zanxing a thumbs up. “Your imitation is accurate.”
The vendor, seeing their attire, guessed their identities and warmly called out: “Are you immortals here for the secret realm trial? Our Li’er Kingdom has lots of good food and fun things. Would you like to buy a cup of iced sugar syrup and go in to play a round or two?”
Zanxing looked up and saw the plaque above the door with several glittering golden characters reading “Clang Clang Gambling House.” Hearing the cheering sounds of people shaking dice from inside, she asked: “A gambling house?”